Dreams of Time
by Dreaming of Death
Summary: Grace Evermore had always lead the life of any ordinary teenage girl. But after following a figure who she thought was dead, she finds herself stranded in the Zelda Universe. Join Grace as she teams up with Link to defeat Ganondorf and a new threat in order to save Hyrule from peril. OC. AU. Rated T for violence. Ocarina of Time setting.
1. Prologue

AN: This is my first published OC story. So...yeah. Some opinions may vary. The prologue is optional to read. It's just there for readers to get a grasp on the plot. This will, however, be a Zelda fanfic during the Ocarina of Time period. So don't get your panties in a wad. I am already three chapters ahead of the game, but I am checking for spelling errors or anything not grammatically correct for your convenience. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, just my OCs. All Zelda rights reserved by Nintendo.

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_"In this world, ruin and chaos throws eternity out of balance. Humanity knows no difference. For all we are concerned, peace is shattered. The blue of the world is __empty - blackened by greed. The colors are ruthless. Centuries fight - Time versus Eternity is an endless battle, one we cannot, nor ever will, win..."_

* * *

"Make a wish," the woman with a shady face said to the girl.

The meteors flew delightfully through the night sky, all sorts of colors following suit. The speed was impressive to the small girl who watched the meteors race. She felt like she was watching colors from every corner of the world come together. It was an amazing beauty that struck her with awe. She often wondered if she would have a similar experience within her lifetime, or if it was a rare, eventful thing. Whatever it was, the girl was simply happy. She was usually rather cheerful, but other times she was grumpy. She could be short-tempered, even if she didn't realize herself.

Crowds and festivities of all sorts gathered fashionably from all parts of the world (even though it was visible to every eye to man) just to see the climax of the stars at the girl's hometown in a large New York town. Traffic was unbearable. She laughed as the entertainers cracked jokes, and others doing so terrible, it was almost too humorous for her to perceive any other of her surroundings. There were several law enforcement officers trotting about, making sure that the crowds kept under control. She was silent through most of it

"Oh! Um...I wish for-" the young girl started.

"_Ah_!" the woman cut the girl off. "It has to be a silent wish. You can't say it out loud, _Grace_."

Grace was eight at the time and had very little recollection. She nodded, and stared up as dozens passed her eyes by the second. She clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes. She knew without a doubt what she desired. She asked comfortably and determinedly. She whispered it silently, still murmuring it, but to where she couldn't even hear her own voice. She found solace in repeating her wish with her own words.

"Aunt Carol?" Grace asked as she finally opened her eyes. The crowds were rather loud and it was hard for Grace to get her voice across. During the highlights of the show, however, the silence was replaced with awe.

"Yes?" Aunt Carol asked. Grace met the eyes of the other woman, and smiled. "How often does this happen?" As though she already was expecting the question among that sort, Aunt Carol proceeded. "Legend says whenever the colors align with enough hearts of blue."

What did she mean by _blue_? The hearts of blue. Those words echoed within her subconscious for minutes, as Grace strained through her thoughts trying to figure out whatever significance it held. She thought hearts were red. How many different colored hearts could possibly exist? She bit her lip, and figured she might ask before the thought slips away into deep conversation. She turned to her aunt who held a camera, snapping all sorts of frames and shots as she could gather.

"Blue?" Grace asked with some confusion.

"It's an urban legend. I'll tell you when you're older."

"Aunt Carol!" Grace snapped.

"Just enjoy the showers." Grace silenced herself. And so they did. Grace thought that the meteors lit up the night sky with beauty. That's when she saw it. The first blue meteor. Just one. Only one.

* * *

AN: Sorry this chapter was so short. Like I said, it's more or less for plot purposes. My other chapters are much more lengthy. I hope that's a good thing. Before anyone is skeptical and assumes Grace's wish is to visit the Zelda Universe or anything oblivious along those lines or meet Link or blah blah blah, no. Her wish wasn't added for a reason. I'll reveal it in due time haha. Anyways, enjoy. Read/Review.


	2. Chapter 1: Falling

AN: This chapter might have like one or two confusing parts, but bear with me; for they're necessary parts to the plot. Sorry if there isn't much dialogue this chapter, but there will be more next chapter. This is more of an introductory chapter to know the character, but plot-moving as well for my readers. Now, I will shut up and let you read.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, just my OCs. All Zelda rights reserved by Nintendo.

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Chapter 1: Falling

Her hair was messy; it was early in the morning. The sun rays shined within the open windows in her upstairs room. She stumbled up groggily (and effortlessly) to her window. Sweat perused her forehead even before she woke up. She grasped the ledge of her window in an unmoving attempt to air out her room that felt as though it was on fire. She pulled again, with a bit more muscle, but again failed. "Stupid...window! Gah!" Grace steamed, falling backwards.

Grace couldn't understand why her mother had never bought her a fan. Their air conditioning system didn't work within the upstairs of her two story house, even though her father insisted it did. During the winter, heat circulated fine upstairs in her room. She didn't understand why air, on the other hand, didn't. She gave up on her window and wiped the sweat off of her forehead with her pajama sleeve. She decided she wouldn't fruitlessly attempt to save her room from global warming and overwork herself in the process. Because she sweated so during her sleep, she scurried off into the bathroom (the only one) down the long hall outside her bedroom, and on the very end.

"What the-?" Grace sweatdropped. The bathroom looked the other day like any ordinary bathroom. Today, their bathroom looked as though they were living under the sea. The curtains were that of goldfish and catfish. Shell designs, which Grace found as the best decoration, sat on the sink by the hand bar soap. Their mats were blue, and their towels hanging on the towel rack even looked like that of a flounder. Grace was too busy observing the various shells on the counter to proceed to any of the other décor.

"What do you think?"

Grace jumped, dropping the coral that held their toothbrushes on the counter. Grace's tooth brush still looked the same, thankfully. "Mother!" Grace's mom, Alyssa, rubbed the back of her head nervously.

"Haha. I didn't mean to frighten you." Grace picked up the coral and sat it neatly where she found it.

Grace smiled, and proceeded to answer her question. "It's...not what I expected, honestly."

"You'll get used to it," Grace's mother assured. And she was right. After her mom left, Grace continued with her shower. Even the bathroom had an ocean or some salt water scent to it. Grace would know, because she had been to a river various times, especially during her eighth grade field trip to canoe, which she was very nervous about. After losing track of time in thought, Grace shut the water off, and brushed the towel through her hair. She put on her pink glasses, as her vision was unclear, and looked at her complexion in the mirror.

Grace had blue eyes that are as bright as the afternoon sky, her pupils white like the moon; blonde, wavy hair that reaches down mid-neck; short-cut bangs that barely hedge the top of her eyebrows; a height of 5"6- not too short; pale, Caucasian tone that lacks color (which she despised her inability to tan); and a well balanced figure. Cardiovascular exercises were her specialty whereas muscular exercises were not. She grabbed the clothes off of the closed toilet seat she brought in with her. She usually chose a random outfit based on what she felt like wearing. She wore short, white laced boots tied untrendfully; skinny black jeans with a few designated holes along the thigh; a blank tank top branded over with a small white jacket. The designs were plain, except the fact that she had a white star in the middle of her shirt.

"Great," she said to herself sarcastically, tossing her used pajamas on the sponge mat below her, "now I am ready for the day." She grabbed her white tooth brush out of the coral, and put crescent white toothpaste on top. As she brushed her teeth, she kept staring back at herself.

She was not satisfied with her appearance. She hated to wear glasses-and at fourteen, too! Perhaps it was because, as scientists have indicated, from being around television too much. She really didn't watch much television. She usually found herself playing her Nintendo Gamecube console, playing her favorite titles. Mario Kart Racing was her favorite multiplayer when friends were over, but her favorite one-player game was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. She won the entire game once, then started Master Quest. Master Quest, being practically unbeatable, made Grace finally throw the controller aside and give up. _How long has it been since I played, exactly?_ she thought. She, of course, did not know the answer. Being that is her Saturday, or as she called it, "Independence Day," she had decided to visit her friend Reagan.

Grace was slightly unpopular, probably because of her mishap her seventh grade year, when she just moved here. She heard a lady in the stall crying, and Grace popped in concerned, but also without thinking. The girl in their named Charlene was on her time of the month. She needed a tampon, basically. Grace, coming out of the stall after giving Charlene a spare tampon, saw a large group of girls. Since Charlene moaned painfully, they assumed Grace and her had "relations". For that, they titled her "Gay Gay Gracie." It hadn't really fazed her, because she was bisexual anyway, and was open about it.

As she left the underwater-themed bathroom, and walked downstairs, her mom and dad were already gone. She sweatdropped. On the television was a pink sticky-note with neat handwriting. _"Grace, we left to go to a friend's birthday party. Be sure to lock up on your way out to your friends, and call us when you're there. Mom & Dad."_ Grace could already indicate her mom wrote it, as she had the neater of the handwriting in the family.

"Yeah, yeah," Grace said back to herself, tossing the note aside, and going out the front door. She had a spare key with her. She closed the large white door, and locked it behind her. She put the key in her right pocket.

Outside the sun was as clear as day, and there was not a cloud in the sky. The breeze brushed her face every now and then. Grace entirely forgot that she hadn't blow dried her hair. She figured it wasn't important, as it would dry gradually as time passed. She had been to Reagan's house before, which was only a few blocks away. It was convenient for the two of them to live close together So they wouldn't have to worry about transportation.

"_Grace...Grace..._" a sound repeatedly echoed.

"Huh?" she stopped in her tracks. The streets were silent, and not a soul was within sights. She stood there for what seemed forever. "The wind...it's just playing tricks on me," she assured herself uneasily, pacing once again towards Reagan's.

"Grace..._Help me_," the voice whispered as though it was directly in her right ear.

She leaped fearfully. She turned around immediately and saw no one there. Her heart raced. She figured communicating with the strangeness should be the last thing she should do...but the distrustful cry made her vaguely concerned. "Where are you?" The moments of silence continued. This time, after walking even, nothing was said. She wanted to turn back and call the police, and warn them of trouble, but she was too close to Reagan's now. She would just have to tell her friend and hope she doesn't deem her lunatic of the week.

"That was a male's voice..." she pressed her finger against her chin, looking back. "It must be a prank..." But how could it be? She hadn't recognized the voice. If it was someone that she knew, they must have found someone else to speak on his behalf. But not even her friends would go through that much trouble, or the people who disliked her. She glanced at the shortcut through the alley to Reagan's.

In a cloak, looking back at her, Grace saw the figure watching her carefully. "It was you!" Grace gasped. The figure turned around, and ran. "Wait! I didn't mean to alarm you!"

Without thinking, Grace charged after him. He cut alley to alley. Grace soon found herself within a labyrinth that she had never thought had existed. The brown, cloaked figure was still within Grace's visual. "Slow down! Please! I want to talk!" As mentioned earlier, cardio was a trait she possessed. She played soccer for six years, this year included. The speed she possessed only seemed to have made the cloaked boy run faster. He seemed to not have looked back or acknowledged her.

A high gust of wind forced past both of them, making them halt and hold their arm up defensively. The hood of the cloak flew off of his head and silver hair on the young teenage boy appeared. He turned around and Grace's eyes opened with shock. Despite his hair color, he looked exactly like the doppelganger of one of her old friends who had...well, years ago was assumed dead.

"...E...E-" Grace started, unsure of what to say. T

he boy charged away and Grace, who was still swollen with shock, and then she followed him. An alley away there was a cave with a bright light. Engraved high above the archway was one golden triangle. Grace had lost sight of him and assumed he entered the cave. She charged in, running. She had completely forgotten about Reagan's. Several thoughts hit her all at once.

_It's got to be Evan! It's just got to!_ she thought. But what if it was just a figment of her imagination? Why did he have silver hair? She wanted all of the answers, and figured that she would soon have them if she could find him.

She turned back, and the cave entrance was gone. She was shocked. Did she go too far that she already lost sight of it? _No, impossible..._ she thought. She rummaged all her thoughts away and focused on the boy who resembled Evan. Why did he even need her help if he was just going to run from her?

"It has to be real!" And as she left the exit, a bright, white light engulfed her. She screamed. She held her arm up to her eyes to protect her vision. She tried backing back into the exit from whence she came, but it had disappeared as well.

Confusion and fear all struck her all the same, as adrenalin raced throughout her veins. Finally, she had enough, and collapsed out of fear.

* * *

All was dark. Blackness surrounded her. She looked up only to see a pale moon, and nothing else. She was on a small patch of dirt. When she stepped off, she was stepping on a puddle. The rings made from the foot making contact eroded within the water. She kept walking farther away from the dirt patch, and walked through the water. Nothing in the bottomless world except the dirt she spawned on, and the mood above.

"Where am I?" she rubbed her eyes. "Last thing I remember: chasing after..." she stopped and sighed. "Nevermind. It wasn't even worth trying. Reagan!" Grace shouted, hoping her friend would here her.

"Reagan!" She tried again, but to no avail. She crossed her arms furiously. Where in the world was she? She glanced down into the water to see the reflection of the moon. She looked down into her own, and saw a shadow figure. A dark, black figure that had the same looking features and clothes style she wore.

"Your dreams are my fruit, and your heart is the tree that grows them," the figure spoke. Grace leaped backwards. The figure arose from the pond below her and faced her. The black figure had closed eyes. Just the look made a chill race down Grace's back.

"Your eyes..." Grace whispered, as she backed far enough away that she considered a safe distance. And she thought her own complexion was scary.

"What about them?"

"Open them, of course..." Grace said unsurely. This was either some trap or joke, or she was dreaming. Either way, she'd rather know what is what. Knowledge is true power, and she figured she'd find out where she was from her shadow.

The Dark Grace smiled uncannily. "Are you not scared of me?"

"I...I don't know," Grace answered honestly. She really had no idea if this figure was simply a justice or injustice.

"Then I will open my eyes," Dark Grace said shallowly. And so Shadow Grace did. Scarlet red, as dark as blood, pierced Grace unfathomably. Her heart skipped a beat and Dark Grace laughed.

"You're like a lost puppy dog, seeing you...shame. I suppose we will meet again soon..."

"Wait, where am I?" Grace asked. Before Grace could hear an answer of sorts, she sunk down into the water below her, and looked up; Dark Grace was watching her sink with her ember eyes. Grace was falling. _Am I dreaming?_ Grace thought, as she was falling into the moon below her. And her dismal surroundings disappeared the further she fell.

* * *

AN: Yes, confusing. I promise that it is all smooth sailing hereon out. The transition into the Zelda Universe is probably the trickiest, to be quite frank. But I had several ideas and decided that this was the most least-stupid-of-all idea. Read and Review.


	3. Chapter 2: Time and Time Again

AN: This chapter starts the transition into Grace's journey. I worked pretty hard and already had it prepared. I hope you find this chapter error-free. Be sure to keep up with Grace, because it only gets crazier from here! What will she think when she meets the Hero of Time himself? Only one way to find out.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, just my OCs. All Zelda rights reserved by Nintendo.

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Chapter 2: Time and Time Again

"My head," Grace grunted, holding it painfully. She had a slight headache and sniffed. Had she finally awoken? She was lying on the stone floor. She hoisted herself up against a wall, and felt the ground. "Am I finally awake?" She considered her surroundings. No unworldly demon copies of her self, check. No spazzy light, check. No cloaked boy, check. No sign of where she was at, check. She had already decided to give up on the boy.

Maybe he wasn't who she thought he was. Maybe he was the wrong guy, and she just so happened to chase a stranger and got lost. She facepalmed arrogantly. "Way to go, Grace. Way to go."

As she finally mustered up some more strength out of her weariness, she circled the walls of the room. It looked like there was no exit. Light emitted through three windows very high above her, but she figured she couldn't reach it to escape. Maybe she was in some kind of a jail? She couldn't figure it out. She saw an arch, and a large block that was mostly apart of the wall. As she entered the arch, she felt the corner, and saw a little crack through one of the walls, and peaked out it.

"A red carpet? A pedestal? A far exit?" she crossed her arms. "Am I trapped in some demented room in a chapel? How the neck did I even physically get in here?!" Grace slammed her fists against the wall and tried praying the crack open, but to no avail. This clearly indicated that this was a door. "Whatever...There has got to be something useful around here, hadn't there?"

She turned around. There was nothing. The room was empty, except for a pedestal surrounded by seven symbols that Grace thought she recognized. Everything was so black and white, she thought she'd go insane. She felt like she was in some 1950's sitcom. She recognized her own clothes as the only color. After finally biting her lip, and looking at the center of the room, she saw something wedged into the middle of the pedestal.

"What...What the?" Grace approached it cautiously, as though it would pop out and attack her. As she neared it, her eyes narrowed. She just recognized somewhere along her temporary comatose, her glasses fell off, limiting her vision to many blurs. That was the beauty of being far-sighted. "A sword?"

She came face-to-face with the handle. It was violet, with a sharp blade. She touched the tip lightly with her index finger, and scratched herself just trying. She sucked her lightly bleeding finger. "This might just do the trick. I'm bustin' out." Grace looked around the dull room to see if others were watching, which, obviously, nobody was, and grasped the handle. She didn't really feel like admiring the blade as she did to use it.

"On three...one...two...three!" Grace tugged. The sword would not move. Grace sighed. This was what she got for being more cardio than strength. But how could a sword be wedged in that well? Grace didn't know anything about a swords anatomy, but figured it shouldn't have been to hard. "No dice...Ugh." She sat on the ledge of the ceneterpiece, glancing back (and every now and then trying) to faze the sword. She even resorted to cries of distress, but to no avail.

"Maybe I'll just wait here and shrivel up and die?" she contemplated. She wasn't an optimist in the slightest. Never had been, never will be. She faced the sword cozily, and even started to talk to it like it was a human. "Do you know any way out?" The sword just stood proudly in the sunlight. "Yeah, me either."

The next couple of days flew by. Grace had the ability to assume that much by the time the day rises and night falls. The past couple days she found herself trying tactics that she already had which didn't work, tried finding new cracks, and even tried climbing up to the window. Her throat was sore from continuous shrieks, which, apparently, nobody had heard. She gave her throat a break. After she got tired of trying, she'd slump down by the pedestal, contemplate, give up, then try again. It was a tiring pattern. Not to mention her hunger. She felt hungrier than she ever had, and thirsty. She never liked the taste of normal water without flavoring, but what she wouldn't do for just a sip. She held in her need to go to the bathroom because there were no magical toilets appearing anytime soon.

"Maybe I will really just die here." She hasn't realized how raspy her own voice was until she heard it for herself. She glanced at the sword, before speaking to it. "There's got to be some significance for you...I just don't know what..." She examined the blades exterior and design. The metal was pure; probably even more pure than titanium itself. The sword looked and felt heavy. Engraved on the silver in a miniature black outline, which was wistfully added while the sword was made, clearly, were three triangles. Grace almost immediately recognized it as the Triforce. It hit Grace just then; how could she be so stupid? It was the Master Sword, of course! It was a fantastic replicas, nonetheless. Even the room resembled that of the Temple of Time. The sages symbols surrounded.

"This is all just like from Ocarina of Time," she let out a small breath. Maybe Grace failed to distinguish the replica right off the bat because, first of all, she had never seen a replica of Zelda in person; and second of all, the Nintendo 64 graphics looked like sheer crap. In person, seeing everything was a delicate step up. "This is a-maze-ing."

Despite the fact she was stuck behind the Door of Time helplessly without survival essentials, she figured this was the greatest thing she had ever seemed. She proceeded to admire what she hadn't, and stopped.

"_Link_! Are you sure that we're not being followed?!"

"He went after Zelda; besides, Impa will protect her. What matters is that we finish the task."

Grace, surprised by the voice of others, quickly ran to the archway that was the Door of Time's crack and peered through. In front of the pedestal (which Grace assumed was for the keys to unlock the door) stood a small boy and a...a fairy?

"Wait a sec...?" she asked herself. "That fairy is definitely not a fake..."

"Well, then, hurry up with said task!" The character that Grace noticed as Navi demanded.

"Don't rush me! I think I know what I have to do," Link, which Grace was dumbfounded to see, said. Link pulled out the three stones. The one he got from The Great Deku Tree, the Gorons, and the water stone from the Zoras. Grace snickered because she knew that was basically an engagement ring.

How were the main Zelda characters under the same roof she was? Was this a dream? It couldn't have been. She had slept on the pedestal and suffered the pain that any awake person should have being deprived of food, water, and shelter. "This has got to be a dream...right?" She peaked back into the corner and watched as Link pulled a blue ocarina out of his rucksack. Wow. The Ocarina of Time, itself

Link started playing the Song of Time. Grace knew what was about to happen. She stepped away from the door and scurried over to the pedestal so as not to seem like an eavesdropper. A golden light engulfed the Door of Time, and through Grace's blurred vision, she recognized Link and Navi approaching. The Door disappeared. Any sane person would have ran free immediately; any saner would have introduced themselves to the main characters first thing first.

"Huh?" Link raised an eyebrow. She took a step backwards.

"She looks like she had just seen a ghost," Navi muttered, even though it was loud enough for Grace to hear. Because she could hardly see, she had a sharpened sense of hearing. She could hear things much further away than others could.

"Are you okay?" Link asked. She turned around, and ran to the back wall in a useless attempt to escape. She could not began to describe the shock and bewilderment building up in her. "Hey, wait!" Link approached cautiously, probably in an attempt to not frighten her. It was much too late for that. "My name is Link! I mean no harm!" The boy looked only two years younger than she did, and she was nervous just to see him. _This isn't real, this just isn't!_ she tried to assure herself; but yet, it was. Link stopped before her, and looked at her. They were about the same height. In reality, Link wasn't as short and looked like a more humane child. His sand-blond hair weaved through his face, sheepishly hiding under his hat. His green tunic looked mostly all the same. What surprised her the most was his voice. He sounded like a little boy in a Naruto voice. "How did you get in here?" Link asked.

"I...I don't know..." she finally gathered her breath. She was unsure of what to say. _Hey, I followed a kid that looked like my dead friend, got lost, and awaken to some video game world?_ It wasn't at all that simple. She turned to Navi desperately, hoping for her to break the silence. Finally, Navi spoke.

"Link, we don't have time to play twenty questions! We need to focus on the task at hand." Navi was right; Ganondorf was coming. If Grace was right about this being a Zelda reality, then Ganondorf was coming. She wanted to speak, but how could she tell them? She couldn't just say this kind of stuff without credibility. She also didn't want to ruin the timeline.

Link turned away from Grace and nodded to Navi. "You're right. I'm sorry, miss, but we can talk later." As he started walking, Grace took a breath. She was at a loss for words. _What if there is no later?_ She knew there wouldn't be. Link was nearing his seven year slumber.

"Link..." she said slowly, repeating his name. He stopped, and turned back to her.

"Yes?" He said half-heartedly. Grace bit her lip. She didn't want to say anything that would reveal her true identity.

"I think you got to pull that sword thingy." She knew it was called the Master Sword but acted as though she knew as little as possible. Link faced the sword, hanging in the middle of the pedestal. "I...I couldn't wield it-but I think maybe you can," Grace pointed. She knew she couldn't wield the sword of Evil's Bane. She wasn't brave enough, much less a possessor of a Triforce.

Grace decided to watch Link pull the sword. Navi was a bit skeptical about Grace. She understood why; she was in the chamber where the sword slept. Any person could easily assume she was a spy. As Grace stepped onto the pedestal circling the sword, she watched as Link entwined his fingers among the hilt. Grace looked back to the entrance to the Temple of Time. Her heart thumped. _What if Ganon is watching?_ If things go as she expected, then he was there...waiting. She gulped, and turned back to Link. He smiled, and pulled the sword with little struggle from its place.

Blue light engulfed her surroundings. She had been so caught up in her worry that she didn't even remember that this was going to take place. She gasped as whiteness filled the atmosphere. A shadow scurried quickly into the light. She saw out of the corner of her eye Ganondorf, who was laughing maniacally. She didn't even consider his reality itself because the hair on her neck rose fearfully. The figure stood only a few feet away from her. "Geh heh heh! Excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time! You have led me to the gates of the Sacred Realm...Yes, I owe it all to you, _kid!_" Ganondorf spoke. His voice was low-pitched and sounded malevolent. This made Grace shiver.

She seen Ganondorf fade into the light. She wanted to chase after and stop him, but her cowardice prevented her. She wasn't even strong enough. "The Sacred Realm..." Grace sighed. She had never been there in the game, but she knew that was where the Triforce was bestowed. She remembered that Ganon could only successfully conquer one fragment, power. If she remembered correctly, Link was courage, and Zelda was wisdom.

She turned over to see Link fall to his knees and faint. The light made him tiresome. Navi seemed to have fallen into a coma as well. Grace didn't understand why she didn't faint, too. She needed to escape before she fell into a seven year sleep. "Help!" she cried, hoping someone would here her. The sound of her voice echoed. Before she knew it, a blue enchanted crystal formulated around her. She slammed her fists into the wall of it trying to break free, but to no avail. "There it is..." she closed her eyes. _Now I will be asleep those seven years...!_

* * *

"_Grace_," the face of the boy she saw whispered. He was hiding in the shady corner of a small candle lit room. "Grace, you can't stay here..."

"...This is all a dream," she smirked. "Just one farfetched dream. I am sure I will wake up-I know I will."

"You should leave," the boy said.

"Nope," she said stubbornly. "If this is even real, I came here to find somebody. That somebody is you. If you are here, I will find you-I am certain you're still alive and here-and bring you home. We will study together, ding song ditch Rebecca's-"

"I am here. I led you here."

"Why do you want me to go, then?" Grace asked. It made no sense to her.

"Because I was forced to. You have to leave before it's too late for you," he said, dissipating slowly.

"Wait!" Grace called. She was getting tired of asking questions. She just wished she knew something that was going on. "_Evan!_"

* * *

Grace slowly slipped her eyes opened. She was in a blue crystal, floating on a pillar far from the three others, one standing in the blue center and the the others on the floor motionless. She recognized this as the Chamber of Sages. It looked as though Link and Navi were still asleep on the ground. Why has she been imprisoned in this crystal? She slammed on the glass. The old man (whose name Grace forgot) snapped his finger. The glass shattered, and Grace fell on her knees. She narrowly missed the glass below her. She saw a staircase that hadn't existed in the game that lead down to the center. She walked down and looked around while doing so. As she neared the man in orange, he spoke. "Good morning."

"How long was I asleep?" Grace asked bitterly, ignoring his kind greeting, even though she figured she knew the answer.

"Seven years, you were...but you were much _different_ than these two...Oh, silly me, not introducing myself. I am Rauru. I am the Sage of Light."

"Grace...Confused girl. It's a pleasure," Grace held out her hand. Rauru shook her hand and separated himself to watch the others rest. After a moments silence, which Grace considered awkward, she finally found her words. She had so many questions, but only needed a few answered. "'_Different_'?"

Through the corner of his lips, Rauru smiled. "You're not from this dimension, are you? You...you bend the rules of time. You have not aged within these seven years. Time does not apply to you..."

Grace got nervous. He knew she wasn't from this world. He knew she didn't belong here, or was supposed to. She felt her heart skip a beat. And because she was from her own world, she had not been timed in another's. Confusion made her conscience hurt. She could continue with hundreds of questions, but didn't want to be too modest, or let in whatever information she knew about them all. "I see...well, then, there is no fooling you, Rauru." She laughed sarcastically, and glanced down at Link. He had aged quite a bit. How he still fitted in his tunic was beyond her imagination. He wore white tights underneath his tunic now, looked much more taller, and had new gloves. Perhaps there was some magic voodoo to new outfits in the Chamber of Sages. "Is that why I was locked away in that crystal?" Grace continued.

"Yes...If I hadn't, you wouldn't have survived the space-time spectrum. In other words, you would have died within the the seven year slumber because you're different, and time works differently with you," Rauru said. Grace was shocked. He saved her life in some strange way.

"I am grateful, then. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he laughed.

Grace laughed fakely with him. She was honestly grateful. "How much more longer before they awaken?"

"Any moment, he should," Rauru said. "You see, only an adult can truly wield the Master Sword. So when Link drew it, he fell asleep until he was old enough to wield it. You got caught in the ring of time when be drew it."

Ring of Time? Grace felt like this was some name made up on the spot. She understood what Rauru was saying, however. When Link opened the Sacred Realm, she was joined in the seven year slumber.

"Not to mention Ganondorf entering the Sacred Realm," she sighed ruefully.

Grace didn't really completely understood what was going on, but she made her best attempt to. Mainly it was an attempt to pretend to know. It seemed to have been working so far.

"Yes...He had done it. He had dictated Hyrule already," Rauru said slowly.

She glanced over and saw Link wiggle. She knew he was stating to wriggle his way into reality. Navi started sparkling once again. It was only a matter of time before they realized that they were asleep.

She had almost completely forgotten about something after she awoken from her own sleep. She was stuck in some separate dimension, or universe (she wasn't sure which), and almost completely forgotten about her world. She was too shocked trying to absorb everything happening so abruptly that she couldn't assume where to start thinking. Her world. How was her mother and father? Her friends? Did they think she went missing or died? Was she really gone for seven years?

"Rauru?" she asked, while watching them.

"Hm?"

She decided she'd describe what she wanted to say to the best of her ability. "Well...ugh...How do I get back to _my world?_" Rauru raised an eyebrow. He gave her a look that said 'continue?'. "I mean...I don't even remember how I got here. I just followed this kid, through an archway, was blinded by a light...and I wake up trapped behind the Door of Time. So, is there an alternate path that I can use to return home?"

Rauru snorted. Grace felt like she was sinking very quickly in quicksand. Rauru finally continued, "Well, Grace, that is just a question that you will have to find the answer to for yourself."

Grace sighed numbly. Of course Rauru didn't know-his knowledge only was useful in Hyrule. It wasn't like he had found a way to travel through space and enter the human world. Little did they all know they were all fictional characters. Grace thought that if she had told them that, and even provided credibility, they would be devastated and it would ruin the timeline. It was for the better if she hadn't told them what she knew. Knowledge was power; and a dangerous power nevertheless. She figured she wouldn't abuse this power and change the inevitable.

"You will find your answers, Grace."

"How?" She turned her head to face Rauru, who watching Link struggle. Link's eyes weren't open. Grace couldn't tell when Navi was awake. But because Navi spoke so often, and was silent, Grace assumed that Navi's mute state made her quiet.

"The answer is intertwined with theirs. If you find all of the sages, which I will soon tell you all about when they awaken, I am most certain that they can aid you in some way to getting back to your home." She glanced at the empty floor medallions with no sages standing there. She knew already about the sages.

"Are you saying I help Link?" she raised an eyebrow dully.

The old man nodded. Grace smiled nervously and waved both hands in front of her sweatdropping in a state of denial. "Heh heh...Well, I don't think that's a smart idea...I can't even fight! All I'd be doing would be getting in the way!"

"The choice is yours," Rauru shrugged.

Grace stopped completely, and glanced back at Link. He was a warrior, and she was a vulnerable girl. She had never fought another being with a weapon, or vice versa. In Zelda, if you lost and had a Game Over, there was the 'Continue' option. Grace figured that this being reality, she wouldn't be given that choice. It was sink or swim-and she wasn't going to lose to an enemy purpose to find out, either. She remembered how in the game he got a sword and he almost immediately was a decent swordsman. Maybe with a weapon and a little practice she could do the same. "I...I will go. I can't just hide here forever, anyway, can I?"

"No...I guess not. You have your own part to play in this era. Everything happens for a reason. Tread forward with Link on this path and you will find many truths. I believe you can do it," Rauru smiled.

Grace smiled nervously, and nodded determinedly. The wisdom given to her from the sage of light himself made her feel like she could make it. She might be able to assist Link with her knowledge. She knew not to change what was meant to happen, but she could anticipate danger before it was too late. She didn't know if she was a negative or positive asset to the team. "Thank you, Rauru. I will do my best."

* * *

AN: I forgot to add this first chapter. Grace will NOT be paired with Link or any of the canon characters. All she will serve as is a teammate. This story is strictly friendship, action/adventure, fantasy, and slight drama. Anyways, the plot takes off from here! What will Grace say when Link and Navi wakes up? Only one way to find out :)! RxR.


	4. Chapter 3: Embarking

AN: Woo! Spring Break! And I'd like to dedicate my free time to write my story and to make progress. Awesome, right? Right?...Guys? -Tumble weed- Oh, fine, then. Here's your chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, just my OCs. All Zelda rights reserved by Nintendo.

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Chapter 3: Embarking

Sitting on the edge on the border of the Chamber of Sages, Grace stared down into the blackness below her. What had Evan meant when he had said she shouldn't be here? If this wasn't some insane dream, which she figured it was, then she had every right to be here. She really didn't care about the Zelda reality all too much. Thoughts of Evan raced through her head. It seemed like hours ago she just spoke to him, but in reality, it had been seven years. Evan could be out there still. She was prepared to go out and search for him. She hadn't figured out how she was going to even break the news to Link and Navi. She felt sick just by the thought of them rejecting her. She felt like some pathetic character from a fanfiction whose life had gone awry and had been drawn into the Zelda Universe. If she was like one of those characters, she hoped she wouldn't be a "Mary Sue" in her Zelda experience. _No,_ she shook her head, _this is reality-not some petty fanfiction. And besides, even characters who are not Mary Sues are stronger altogether, or not completely defenseless. I am simply just a weak coward. Who am I kidding?_

It had been about half an hour at best since Rauru stopped preaching to her. He would proceed to preach once Link woke up. She giggled. Link looked like a rag doll, sleeping there. She often wondered if heroes had ever gotten a chance to sleep? In the videogame, Link never had. But then, this was reality, so some things couldn't be avoided. She was surprised she was able to sleep seven years and not be starving. Maybe in the Chamber of Sages your human needs couldn't lessen-that, or Rauru had taken care of them. She had a few reasonable theories. As Rauru had indicated, Link should be awakening anytime soon.

And just as that thought crossed her mind, Link did. His eyes looked drowsy and empty as though he was going to fall back to sleep. Rauru started to speak, motioning Link to arise from his slumber. "Link... Wake up... Link, the chosen one..."

Link hoisted himself up into a sitting position with his elbow, and looked up. He looked taken aback by the surreal platforms made of water, all the surrounding made of a similar composition. Link was breathless, and had no idea what to say. Rauru seemed to have a speech prepared, as he continued.

"I am Rauru, one of the ancient Sages...Ages ago, we ancient Sages built the Temple of Time to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm...This is the Chamber of Sages, inside the Temple of Light...The Temple of Light, situated in the very center of the Sacred Realm, is the last stronghold against Ganondorf's evil forces. The Master Sword-the evil-destroying sword that you pulled out of the Pedestal of Time-was the final key to the Sacred Realm."

Grace had nothing to say either. She just observed as Rauru spoke. She had never paid much attention during the context of the gameplay. As Rauru indicated (word-for-word, to Grace's chagrin) they WERE in the Sacred Realm, within the confines of a place called the Temple of Light. She had always wondered what the Sacred Realm had looked like. Rauru's voice, which she was glad she would not have to not have to read, sounded a bit musty, like that of a wise elder's.

"...You don't mean Hyrule is now..." Link said slowly, and with some disappointment of sorts.

"Defenseless? I am afraid it is..." Rauru nodded. Navi fluttered up beside Link as if she wasn't drowsy. Grace wondered if faries had the capacity to wake up much easier than a human had. "But Link... Don't be alarmed...Look at yourself..."

Link looked at his hands and his body. He gasped. He had a figure that belonged to that of a young adult. As Grace noticed earlier, his tunic seemed to have aged with him; he wore brown boots, knee high; a brown belt to circulated to tighten his tunic; a violet sheath on his back in which Grace figured the Master Sword was stored away; and his trademark long, pointy green hat. Seeing Link in person made Grace awestruck. He looked just like how a human should; not some pointy Nintendo-64-body. She still refused to register the fact she was in the Zelda Universe, and was asleep.

"Look, Link! You've grown big now! You've grown up!" Navi shouted. Grace climbed away from the trench she sat by, and approached the group. Link looked alarmed to see Grace. She already knew time worked differently for her, so she hadn't aged. Navi continued. "It's that girl! She doesn't look like she grew up..."

"I have a name," Grace murmured irritably.

"This is Grace," Rauru introduced. "She isn't from around here."

"How come she didn't age?" Navi asked.

"She was born with different...abilities, per say, than any ordinary Hylian was," Rauru said.

"Like a Kokiri?" Link looked at her modern attire. "But she sure doesn't look like one."

"I'm not a Kokiri. I come from...er...a providence FAR away from here. I do not have the slightest clue what a Kokiri even is," Grace lied. She decided that lying about her birthplace will keep suspicion at bay-and that's the last thing she wanted. She glanced at Rauru, who met her eyes. He nodded. Grace was hoping that he would change the subject.

"_Link_, The Master Sword is a sacred blade which evil ones may never touch... Only one worthy of the title of 'Hero of Time' can pull it from the Pedestal of Time...However, you were too young to be the Hero of Time... Therefore, your spirit was sealed here for seven years. And now that you are old enough, the time has come for you to awaken as the Hero of Time! Well, do you understand your destiny?" Rauru chanted. Link had a look of fear suddenly replace his look of shock. Link couldn't believe it had been seven years. Grace wasn't as shocked, because she saw it coming.

" 'Hero of Time' ?" Link murmured back to himself. "How can you expect me to know my own destiny if I had never known it myself, first?"

Grace could see where Link was coming from. Link probably felt like the Great Deku Tree, Rauru, and even Zelda knows what his destiny is and what he has to do, and expects him to realize it only at the last minute. She would be fed up before her first adventure even started, if she was him.

"Link..." Navi fluttered.

"Yeah. I understand. Whatever," Link frowned unpleasantly.

Rauru said nothing. He just let out a tiny breath, and continued, "But, remember... Though you opened the Door of Time in the name of peace... Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used it to enter this forbidden Sacred Realm! He obtained the Triforce from the Temple of Light, and with its power, he became the King of Evil..His evil power radiated from the temples of Hyrule, and in seven short years, it transformed Hyrule into a world of monsters. My power now has only little influence, even in this Sacred Realm...Namely, this Chamber of Sages. But there is still hope... The power of the Sages remains. When the power of all the Sages is awakened... The Sages' Seals will contain all the evil power in the void of the Realm..."

How could he say 'seven short years'? Link was probably much more bewildered than she was. She knew courage was one thing-the ability to face things with bravery-but bewilderment was another. Chances were Link couldn't handle the stress of all these heroic responsibilities. She looked around, and sighed with relief. She now felt like she wasn't the only one who was shocked, and that gave her a strong feeling of solace.

"But you can't do this alone," Rauru said. "Grace will be assisting you. I am granting her the power to sense the sage's presence. With that, there will also be many dangers on this quest, some that two may need to fight as one in. Her journey is intertwined with yours. She had a separate mission that she can achieve by joining you." Grace was wide-eyed by the granting of the powers part. Rauru turned to her, held both arms in the air, and blue light radiated down into her. The feeling felt like she was being shocked by a whole bunch of electricity. She shouted in pain, and fell to her knees. Rauru didn't look at all concerned, and put his arms back down. "Will you let her come?"

"A girl? Fight?" Link snorted. Navi steamed a bit angrily.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Navi sneered.

Grace held her shoulder, and tried not to weep. If she was going to be on Team Link, she needed to be able to deal with pain somehow and at least try to be strong. Grace slowly got to her knees, and looked at the palms of her hands. "I don't feel any different."

"It won't be useful unless there is a sage nearby...and I will take that as a 'Yes, she can join,' Link?" Rauru asked seriously.

"It's untraditional and girls shouldn't-"

"I'm coming," Grace glared. "I don't care if I hurt. I want to try and do my best. How will I ever know my potential if I hide in my shell?"

Half of she lied about not caring to hurt, and the other did not. She knew she would never know her potential, whether it was in Zelda Universe or Earth, if she never tried. And that was what she had to do-to try. She figured she would make some sort of progression. She figured Link's prejudiced only derived from the time period. Sexism made males the hunters and warriors, but also made females the housewives and cooks. Grace wanted to fight. Cleaning dishes wouldn't help her to find Evan, anyway.

"Okay," Link said. Grace could have sworn he let out a smile from the corner of his mouth. Had he always been alone in his journey? Throughout the course of his life, even? Grace couldn't tell. But she knew about his parents. She knew that they died...and that Link wasn't Kokiri. It wasn't her place to tell him about that, even if she knew. All things would soon happen in due time.

"I, Rauru, am one of the Sages... And... Your power to fight with the Sages makes you the Hero of Time! The Hero of Time, chosen by the Master Sword! Keep my spirit with you... And, find the power of the other Sages, and add their might to your own!" Rauru cheered. Grace thought his encouragement derived from hope.

"Your a sage?!" Link gaped. He couldn't believe how incredibly convenient and easy finding the first had been. Grace knew, however, it would only be more challenging as they advanced. Her motivation was to find her friend.

"Yes, and I will present to you with a token that my spirit is embedded within. Now go, we must not waste anymore time," Rauru held out an arm and a golden medallion started descending slowly from the ceiling...or the blackness above, which Grace had no idea how long it continued.

Link grabbed the medallion. In person, Grace thought it was beautiful. Gold. It looked like solid, pure, realistic gold. It wasn't some sunflower yellow like in the game. Grace figured if it wasn't such an important artifact, she could sell it for tons of rupees. Currency in Zelda was one thing she was somewhat eager to learn about. As Link grasped the medallion securely in his hands, a bright white light engulfed them. Though Grace had not seen that coming, she immediately closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to save herself from being blinded. Through the brightness, Grace heard a voice. "Find the other sages, and save Hyrule!"

After a moment's silence, Grace squinted. She seen no mysterious light. She was back in the Temple of Time. Link looked around, and Navi fluttered full-heartedly around Link.

"Link...we're back in the Temple of Time...but have seven years really passed?" Navi flew circles around his head.

"Navi, will you stop that?!" Link hissed, shooing the fairy away. "And...I don't know...I think it really had been seven years. Why else am I an adult?"

Grace didn't say anything. For one, she was still shy to being around the new character; and two, she was very nervous about going on a dangerous journey. Sure, she wanted to fight, but she didn't want to make a wrong move. She wanted to tread carefully, if anything.

"It looks like you won't be able to use some of the weapons you found as a kid anymore...Let's get out of here!" Navi said.

Grace felt butterflies in her stomach. She remembered the petrifying zombies in Ganon's Castle Town. She figured if she stuck behind Link until they escaped to the gates, it shouldn't be a problem. But Grace had never seen a dead person alive; at least not in all reality. She had played zombie videogames before, like Left 4 Dead, and fought determinedly. But she was a coward, and knew she would freak out and wouldn't have the slightest clue of what to do if she encountered one.

"You don't need to tell me twice," Link said. "Well? Are you coming, lady?"

"_Grace_!" she emphasized with annoyance. She was far from being Link's friend if he kept acting sexist. She didn't want to be friends with anyone in the Zelda Universe, anyway. All she needed to do is track down Evan, and bring him home. She didn't even know the dream she had seven years ago was the real Evan talking to her. Maybe it was just some petty dream, and she was wasting her time. Hope was what kept her going: what kept her from giving up and coming this far.

"Link...who is that person?" Navi turned around hastily.

Link and Grace turned around with surprise, before noticing a figure by the pedestal to which the sword stood long ago. The face was covered in heavy clothing, and Grace recognized this figure as Sheik immediately, otherwise known as Princess Zelda. How could she not sense Sheik's presence? He (technically she) was a sage. Grace wondered if there was there some way to trigger her peculiar power? Grace thought it would be like another sense-like hearing, seeing, or touching. She hadn't used it before, and Rauru hadn't given her the chance to ask, either.

"What the?!" Link said awestruck. Seconds ago Sheik was not there. Did Sheik have the ability to appear and disappear at will? Grace figured Sheikahs were just like ninjas. He drew his sword, and made a stance.

"Is that how you greet nowadays?" Sheik shook his head in sheer disappointment.

Grace thought Link was being a bit rash-if not, prejudiced. Link slowly resheathed his weapon. She, on the other hand, probably knew why Link was prepared to attack: a stranger had somehow appeared behind him. She had no idea how Sheik could anticipate their location so precisely and know when they'd awaken.

After Link had not spoke, Sheik continued, "I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time...When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples."

"How do you expect me to know where to start?" Link furrowed his brow.

"Patience," Sheik said. "As I said before, they dwell in five different temples. One in a deep forest...One on a high mountain...One under a vast lake...One within the house of the dead...One inside a goddess of the sand..."

Grace already knew where all those places were-heck, she even knew exactly _who_ all the sages were. But, this being a Zelda reality, she was uncertain if certain locations were where they were in the game; and what if there was more places in Hyrule they could explore? She didn't want to get too ahead of herself.

"How do you know all this?" Navi asked.

Grace always wondered why in the game they haven't asked logical questions like that. Why would any person dive face first into a chaotic journey without knowing a bit about the informer first?

"All in good time, fairy, all in good time." Sheik paused, and looked Grace and then Link in the face with seriousness. "This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah. I am Sheik. Survivor of the Sheikahs...As I see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time... If you believe the legend, you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages...One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. The Sage is a girl, I am sure you know... Because of the evil power In the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm..."

"Could that be...?" Navi started.

"Saria?" Link asked, concerned, stopping altogether. There was a temporary silence.

"Could be," Sheik shrugged. Obviously, Sheik knew very well who it was, but didn't decide to let them in on too much. Sheik turned his red eyes toward Grace again, and observed her. "...Who is she?"

"Her name is-" Link started.

"Link doesn't know my name, apparently. But it is Grace," she said, giving Link a chilling glare. Link just rolled his eyes.

"Grace...I don't suppose you were supposed to sleep for seven years as well?" Sheik pressed his finger against his chin. "And such attire...I have never seen anything of those sorts. Are you from around here?"

"Nope, not at all. It's a _long_ story, trust me," Grace shook her head.

"And you are friends with the Hero of Time, are you not?"

"We're not friends. She is just a sidekick, basically. She is on her own mission, and can achieve her mission by following our path or something," Link said bitterly.

"There's something we can agree on," Grace said, and her and Navi snickered silently together.

Link was self-righteous in person. Grace liked link _much_ better in the game when be couldn't talk. Of course, Link wasn't too keen on having a female fight alongside him. She had never known he was sexist and kind of annoying.

"I see...What is your mission, Grace?" Sheik asked. She was happy that she was actually addressed by her own name.

Grace sighed, and shook her head. "I am trying to find my friend...his name is Evan. You might not have seen him before, have you?"

"Evan...it sounds familiar," Sheik crossed his arms, and considered. All was silent for moments, before Sheik snapped with realization. "Does he have silver hair, and have a sword made of glass?"

" 'A sword made of glass ' ?" Grace raised an eyebrow. As far as she knew, Evan couldn't fight, and hadn't owned a magical weapon. "Well, I don't think he has. I don't know...He does have silver hair, though."

"Grace," Sheik stopped, and released a long breath as though he was searching for his words.

"What? _What_?" Grace opened her eyes widely. Her heart started beating with anticipation. Could Sheik actually know him?

"Grace...I think some things would be better left...unsaid," Sheik shook his head.

Grace dropped her happy-go-lucky smile, and immediately frowned. She looked shocked. Did he get hurt, or even killed? Did Ganondorf capture him? Was he working for Ganondorf? Grace scurried on, trying not to speak too fast. "Is he alright? Did Ganondorf hurt him? Is he under his control?"

"No, to all of those. Grace...if you know what's best for you, you would not try to associate with him ever again," Sheik said. "Stop asking questions. I won't tell you anymore."

"Then he has to be alright," Grace said, slowly.

"Unfortunately," Sheik said. Grace looked confused. Why was it unfortunate Evan was alright? Obviously he did something negative that impacted Sheik, right? Well, maybe just Sheik. It couldn't by the Hylian civilization, could it?

_Nah, what matters is he is alright. I don't care if you call it unfortunate-I call it fortunate,_ Grace thought. She decided she would stop asking questions at this point.

After a long, awkward silence, Link finally spoke, slowly and unsurely, "Well...about that sage of the Forest Temple...where can I find her?"

"She's within the Lost Woods, behind the Kokiri Forest...Unfortunately, equipped as you currently are, you cannot even enter the temple...But, if you believe what I'm saying, you should head to Kakariko Village...Do you understand, Link?"

If Grace didn't know Sheik was secretly Zelda, she knew she wouldn't have believed him for a second. Grace wasn't really big on trusting people she just recently met.

"Yeah. I think," Link said.

"To save the forest girl, you need another skill...Head to Kakariko Village! Until we meet again, young hero!" Sheik declared, throwing a Deku Nut right in front of them. The blinding flash was only a few seconds and then faded. It caused bright flashes in her vision she tried to rub out. She remembered Sheik stayed in the Temple of Time in the game. Perhaps Grace's guess was correct; and if it was, she thought her decision about this being much more different than gameplay was accurate.

"Where at in Kakariko Village?!" Link shouted around the room.

"We'll never know by dawdling around," Grace said, even though she remembered the equipment was supposed to be a Hookshot.

"I can figure that out, thank you," Link said.

"You're doing a marvelous job, Oh Great Hero," Grace laughed. She didn't care too much for Link's attitude. She disliked the bossy kids in her groups she was apart of at school, and always end up not holding her tongue to them. As a group, not one person leads or makes all decisions alone, right? Well, that's how she felt, anyway.

Link shook his head and sighed. He gave her a look that said 'I don't have time for this' and Grace didn't say anything. She didn't feel like fighting. She was somewhat decent at controlling her anger or ignorance, unlike Link, in her opinion.

"Come on, you two," Navi said. "Let's just go."

"Ditto," Grace made a loop gesture with her hand, and caught up to Navi, walking away from Link. He followed the two toward the exit from the Temple of Time.

"How long has it been since we have inhaled fresh air? Seven years?" Link said from behind.

Grace stopped in her tracks, and remembered that Castle Town was disastrous and was quarantined with zombies, or Redeads, as they were called in the game. Plus, they were very close to Ganondorf's castle, which made her very uneasy.

"What?" Navi asked as Grace stopped.

"I...I don't have a weapon with me," Grace said. She turned to Link, and continued. "I think you should go first."

"No weapon?" Link raised an eyebrow.

"No!" Grace said. "I am sure I will find something useful along the way that I can use..."

Grace used this as an excuse not to go first. She was much weaker than Link and figured he could defeat the obstacles Ganondorf put along their path. She only wished she had a chance to see Hyrule while it was much more lively.

"Fine by me," Link grimaced, walking in front of her and Navi.

"He's so full of himself," Grace murmured to herself out of earshot, leaving the temple behind him. Navi giggled.

As they left, destruction and havoc had already consumed Castle Town. It looked post-apocalyptic, and looked_ much_ more ominous and gruesome than in the game. Grace saw the outside of the temple had a splatter of what she assumed to be dried blood on the wall. In the distance, the fiery-red Goron Mountain released scarlet embers, only making Grace feel like hiding back inside the temple. She was surprised the temple wasn't overrun.

"Shh!" Link motioned them over.

Grace had a feeling she knew what he was indicating. She poked her head around the corner of what looked like an old souvenir shop, and saw old, brown, wrinkly Redead. They looked much more disgusting and intimidating in person.

"What are those?" Navi flew back fearfully.

"Beats me...It doesn't look like there is any alternate path than straight through the center of town. We have got to be quick...Navi, you hide in my hat...I am going to charge when I see an opening," Link took his hat off, to reveal his surprisingly long hair.

Navi reluctantly drifted inside, and coughed. "This wreaks."

"What if they see us?" Grace asked, ignoring Navi. Her heart started racing. In the game, it was easy...but fear consumed her here.

"We have to go one at a time," Link said. "They will hear both of us if we go together, plus only one of us has to be quick alone to get through the opening."

One at a time?! Was Link insane?! Link turned around, and squinted. There were no Redeads looking in the middle that half-second. Link charged swiftly, and stealthily through the middle, increasing his speed, and passing behind a Redead, as it faced away. Link passed through just by the skin of his teeth without being noticed.

"I...I don't know if I can do this..." Grace felt her legs shaking. She remembered she hadn't had her glasses on, so she couldn't see very well. She couldn't tell really if they were watching the center or not. She had to squint. It looked as though every twenty seconds on average they looked away for six sort seconds before turning around again. She looked up at Link who gave her an encouraging thumbs up.

There were too many Redeads. There were five at best. Sneaking without being seen by all of them would be hard. Grace took a deep breath, and her heart skipped a beat. "C'mon, Gracie...You got this..."

The Redeads slowly turned away, and she charged. Cardio, being her best exercise, paid off while she was charging. _I am going to make it...I am!_ she thought as she inched closer and closer to Link and Navi. As she passed the Redead Link came close to being spotted by, she heard a loud, petrifying shriek. The Redead furthest away, by the old Happy Mask shop, shrieked. Somehow, the sound kept Grace from moving. She felt like she was standed hopelessly on an island-as though she was standing in cement. Link tried drawing his sword but he couldn't. He and Navi were petrified, too.

_No...!_ Grace tried to move her arms. The feeling made her feel numb and unmoving. The sound of the first shriek alerted the other Redeads, and they all turned their attention to Grace, who stood in the very middle, by the old fountain. She felt completely vulnerable. The closest one waddled its way closer to her. 'NO!' Her heart was thumping much faster than it should have. The adrenalin build up got worse. She tried moving any part of her body, but to no avail. She though she would soon fall prey to the Redeads, even before her adventure started.

_I can't die here! What if they turn me into one of them?! Help!_ Grace closed her eyes. Grace continued to assure herself, _Don't be so nervous. You won't escape if you're scared, right? I have always learned not to panic in these situations..._

But how could she not? She was frightened-no, terrified! She had to try. She took a deep breath, and slowed down her heart rate. She was not frightened, but nervous. She was happy that they couldn't move very quickly, but they were progressing at her nonetheless. She sighed a few more times, and closed her eyes. _Grace, you have to be strong. This is for your survival...no, it's for Evan's. Be strong for him!_ And her motivation strived her to a normal heartbeat. The sound of Evan's name calmed her.

Slowly, she struggled, and grappled her arms loose from the invisible chains holding her back, and her legs, likewise. Link had already unnerved himself. He was about to come to her aid, when she darted passed him. "Come on, slow poke! Last one to Kakariko's a rotten egg!"

"Hey!" Link said, not at all expecting this, and turned around and charged after her.

"Thank you, Evan," she smiled, running out into the sunlight outside of the gates of Castle Town. Link was not too far behind her, and she laughed as he struggled to keep up.

* * *

AN: Sorry, I was hoping to put this up Friday...but, it was opening weekend at King's Island in Ohio, and I just had to attend on Friday. I wanted to ride the new ride they just built, but it was too crowded. *Sigh* Perhaps I can next time. Then this past Saturday, the document manager kept giving me an error message, so I couldn't submit Chapter 3. On the bright side, my friends, I was able to get a head start of Chapter 4 and take some time to revise and edit Chapter 3 and remove the uninteresting material.

Did you like this chapter? I hope so ^^". The real journey actually begins next chapter. How awesome, right? And I made this chapter more lengthy than my other chapters. Please RxR if you see something I need to fix or improve on. And shout out to my first story-favoriter, DarkLink517! And to my first author-favoriter, crimsoncarnage444! Thank you both very much! By letting me know my story is actually not terrible, it strives me more and more to continue.

Anyways, stay tuned!

-_Dreaming_


	5. Chapter 4: Uncertainty

AN: Finding ways to publish these chapters are a bit challenging without internet and a Personal Computer; nevertheless, I do get my chapters out there...somehow, anyway.

How is my audience liking Grace? Is she normal and unique or is she "Mary Sueish"? I gave her many weak attributes and even went as far as not making her and the main characters not friends with each other. I hope she is original.

Now, so I do not ruin the whole plot and have made this story for nothing, I will reiterate that Grace will not be paired up with any of the canon characters or will not be a prophet of sorts. However, I plan to add more antagonists to the plot in the near future. The plot will stay as-is, just as a reminder. I am not changing anything. The journey will just be a little more lengthy, basically. Anyway, I think I will stop babbling on and let you read.

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda, just my OCs. All Zelda rights reserved by Nintendo.

* * *

Chapter 4: Uncertainty

"Thanks alot, Grace!" Link panted, coming to a halt at the edge of the stairs. Hyrule Field was much bigger, and even though the stairway to Kakariko was simply right beside the outer gates of Castle Town, it was roughly a mile away on foot.

"Talk about exercise," Grace wiped her forehead, taking several deep breaths. The sunlight beamed down upon the three of them, only making their run-well, besides Navi, who flew-more treacherous. Grace wished that she had gym shorts to run in besides her own jeans.

"I didn't think that was too hard," Navi fluttered. "Then again, I flew."

"Not to mention you hid in my hat halfway through," Link slumped up against the rocky wall at the bottom of the stairs. Grace snorted. She admired her cardio, but despised her lack of strength. If Link and she got into a fist fight, she would be waving the white flag in the first round.

"How did you even know where Kakariko was?" Link asked.

Grace, having already thought of how she was going to talk her way out of this question while running if she was asked, had an answer prepared. She hated lying, but she would rather save herself the trouble. "Kakariko bridges off into Goron Mountain, so I figured I was going the right way...Don't tell me I was wrong?!" Grace gasped dramatically, falsely contradicting herself.

"No, you're right. It's just up the stairway." Navi looked up the stairs.

"That's good," Grace smiled half-heartedly.

Link took his hat, and used that to wipe his sweat with. On his belt, he had a brown rucksack he dug inside; his entire arm fit right inside. Grace furrowed her brow with confusion, and looked back at Navi. "What's that?"

"That's a Hylian Bag. He bought it seven years ago. Certain enchantments expands the inside so Link can fit tons of items inside," Navi said.

"How else do you adventure without one? Do they have these where you come from?" Link dug out a canteen of water, and sluggishly drank it.

"No, we don't," Grace sighed. There was alot more to being an adventurer than she thought. Link had it all down to an art, unlike Grace, who felt like she was asking them stupid questions. That rucksack explained how Link was able to store away his items successfully in his journey. She had always wondered how he had done that. "What about the weight?"

"What about it? The outside looks as small as it feels. The magic inside keeps it from weighing us down."

"Geez, Grace, do they not have these things where you are you from?" Navi asked.

She stuffed her hands in her pockets and shook her head. She thought that modern society had unique gadgets; but she had never encountered magic objects before. It was bedazzling in her opinion. If she ever escaped the Zelda Universe, she figured she would take home a souvenir at least.

Link kept slurping his water. Grace stared at the bottle while wiping sweat out from under her forehead. Link looked up, and offered her the bottle. She just shook her head. She was germaphobic, and didn't like drinking after others-especially her own family. She felt like she should have accepted, but decided that since the river that she thought led through Zora's Domain was right beside a shady tree, she'd drink her own water.

_Note to self: get a canteen...and a magic rucksack_. Grace shuffled over to the river, and after catching her breath, she dunk her head in the water. The Zora water felt so cool and pure. The sensation washed away the wearisome feeling of heat and hard-work almost immediately. Grace opened her mouth and sucked in some water before resurfacing. She swallowed the water, which tasted just as pure as it felt. She noticed a purple octopus-thing emerge close by her, and she screamed.

"Grace!" Link and Navi called, heading her direction. Grace groveled away while the monster spat large shells that resembled peanuts at her.

"...An octoroc?" Link drew his weapon, and then looked suddenly amused.

Grace recognized that monster before her was indeed an octoroc. Those were easy to defeat in the game, but she was unarmed, and felt incredibly vulnerable. How could Link and Navi not be scared? Well, they had endured three temples before this and already encountered dangerous monsters. Perhaps they were used to it. She used to be scared of spiders, but now, given the situation, she would not have taken them for granted. At least spiders weren't fierce where she resided, anyway.

"Grace, watch," Link prattled her like a little kid. Even though she was fourteen, she hated being treated like a kid. She wasn't used to this lifestyle.

Link just held up his metal Hylian shield as the shell hit it, and the shell deflected back at the octoroc, immediately destroying it. Grace sighed. Two weeks ago, in her time, because time didn't apply to her, she was a normal teenager who struggled her freshman year. Now she was meeting sages, heroes, and even encountering zombies and monsters. She wanted nothing more than the stress of her home life back.

"See? That wasn't too hard," Navi informed.

Grace sighed, and used her jacket as a towel to wipe off her drenched hair, and stowed it away in Link's magic rucksack. "When do I get a weapon? How do you expect me to venture after sages without fighting?"

"You don't, you just let me do the work," Link said.

"If you don't shut up, I will take that Master Sword of yours and shove it up your-"

"I think there is a blacksmith in Kakariko," Navi said. She fluttered around Link's head and made him annoyed and and made him dizzy. "Sorry, Grace, nevermind him; you will fight as little or as much to your heart's content. As Rauru said, Link needs someone's help."

Grace smiled, and immediately calmed down. She was happy that she wasn't furious any longer. She hated to lose her temper, which only happened rarely. She was getting tired of Link thinking this journey was all about him. He may be the Hero of Time, but he was also a nuisance.

Link decided not to infuriate her more than he already had. He sighed, and leaped into the water, face first.

"What's he doing?!" Grace asked.

"Getting that blue rupee, of course!" Navi indicated.

Link dove under water, grabbed the rupee, arose, and then ushered himself back to the surface. He was COMPLETELY drenched. Grace didn't think it was worth a blue rupee, which only was worth five.

"Since we're going to have to cut our funds so Grace can get a new weapon - something cheap and easy to handle - " he coughed in between words, "we should increase our funds."

Grace shot him a look that was surprised. She would actually be able to get a weapon, and free of charge? Suddenly her anger merged into gratitude. She was excited. But she knew a weapon was not a toy, so she figured she should probably not treat it as such.

"Really? Agh! I can't wait!" Grace smiled.

"Don't get your hopes up. We're not rich," Link tossed the rupee inside a separate bag on his belt. She figured it was a rupee bag, like on the game. She wondered if there were enchantments in it, too. There probably was. How else could he fit thousands of rupees inside? She didn't bother asking.

"How much do we have right now?" Navi asked.

"Uh...2795. A weapon will cost 1000 minimum and 5000 maximum at a blacksmith's. So there is no way she is getting anything fancy, by the looks of it," Link sighed at their low budget.

"I will work it off by killing monsters," Grace said. She actually had no idea how she would cope with killing things. If something tried to hurt her first, then she would have a valid reason to attack, or even kill, right? Technically, it wouldn't be killing: it would be self-defense. She was happy to look at it that way.

"Great! So we can earn twice as much," Navi said.

"No we wouldn't. We would be going the same route, therefore killing enemies as we normally would. It would just help make killing enemies faster, if anything," Link said, refilling his canteen. She figured he was right. Still, she had no fighting experience. She didn't know how she was going to be able to fight boss battles. But she knew she couldn't travel with them of she couldn't fight, so she _had_ to learn. She felt like she had no other choice.

Link closed the canteen, and stuffed it into his rucksack. Navi fluttered around the two, and then spoke. "Where do you think this weapon is? All he told us was that it was here somewhere. What kind of sad is that?"

"I don't know. But, seeing as these old weapons are useless to me now, I might as well upgrade," he smirked.

"What weapons are you still able to use?" Grace asked. She had completely forgot. Even gamers can't remember every little detail of the game. She hated not knowing things.

"Uh...good question. I actually had not had the chance to look, just yet," Link scratched the back of his head, laughing lightly.

"You should check now," Navi said.

"Yeah, yeah," Link waved. He dug through his rucksack, and still had littler items, which looked like action figures only a small kid could play with, like his boomerang; and he had other things, such as his bombs, that were still useful. He quickly separated the useful weapons from the useless weapons.

"Why do you still carry those? Isn't that pointless?" Navi asked.

"You never know," Link waved his finger knowingly. "These items may come in handy if we find ourselves in a sticky situation."

"Like what?" Grace raised an eyebrow. She knew Link would indeed need those items when he traveled back in time. Time travel she thought until recently was impossible. She now knew that that theory was wrong. Logic and magic were two different appeals that she could never figure out. Her grade in Biology was a C.

"I don't know...a toothpick?" Link asked, waving his boomerang around.

Grace snorted. Navi just sighed as though that was the stupidest excuse ever, but didn't scold him on about keeping his useless luggage with him.

"Speaking of toothpicks, you guys know that we haven't eaten in seven years, right?" Navi asked. Grace always wondered what fairies ate. Were their diets the same as humans? She figured fairies didn't eat very much.

"Yeah, I'm starving," Link sighed.

"Same here..." Grace sweatdropped as her stomach roared as she spoke. She tried to hide the loud, hungry sound, but it was too late. Navi and Link laughed at her, and she felt embarrassed. She never liked to sound hungry in front of anyone. She thought it made her sound like a starving pig. She had a few insecurities "Shut up...Still...I wonder if they do have some grub up there."

"There is a pub. They serve food and various beverages there," Navi said. Grace didn't know that Kakariko had a pub. There were many differences from the game, she decided to stop keeping track.

"Then we'll eat first, before visiting the blacksmith. Then hopefully Grace will have found a weapon of use, and we can continue with our mission," Link said.

"Sounds good to me," she said, more eager for food than for weaponry.

"Okay. I'll show you how to get there. Follow me!" Navi said proudly. Link didn't seem to keen to be following than leading. Grace didn't really care either way. As Navi flew higher up the stairs, Grace struggled to keep up. Fairies were much quicker than humans were; and Link kept walking just about as fast as the fairy. Soon, she found herself upgrading to a fast-paced walk that was like a jog.

They passed under the archway that read 'Welcome to Kakariko' and observed the various buildings. Kakariko was larger in person, and there were several allies. Population was not really as crowded as she imagined, as the pathways through town were spacious.

"Wow...it's beautiful," Grace raised an eyebrow. She had never grown up in a country setting, nor did she a city setting. She lived in a town where houses were closely inclined together. She had always wondered what country settings looked like.

"It looks like nothing really has changed," Link glanced around.

"Maybe Ganondorf didn't attack this village," Navi said.

Grace knew exactly who Ganondorf was, but she would fail to keep up appearances if she didn't show any suspicion or curiosity. "Who is he?"

"Ha! He is the one who wrought Hyrule to its former state. He is the Gerudo King. That's why we have to get the sages' help: so we can throw him out of rule," Link said.

"Yep. That's the entire purpose of our trip. Originally, it was just to open the Door of Time, but now Link is some heroic deity, apparently, who has to save mankind," Navi said.

"Of course, who else is more suitable for the task than I am?" Link laughed whole-heartedly. Grace rolled her eyes.

Grace's stomach rumbled once again, and she sighed. She was getting annoyed with herself. She hated that sound with a passion.

"It seems Grace is hungrier than we thought," Navi flew by Link's ear and whispered. She was automatically frustrated because she could hear Navi speaking. Her pale face turned red with embarrassment.

"Right. We had better go get some food!" Link said loudly. He turned to Grace, and held up his finger in a motherly-lecherous manner. "Now, Grace, every hero knows that they can't fight evil on an empty stomach. Even us heroes have to eat, too."

She did not categorize herself as a hero. She was a normal girl, with normal needs, on a potential, unreal, life-threatening journey. She shook her head. Link kept telling her about the different kinds of foods Hylians had ate around these areas, and what ingredients are used for what while they walked to the pub. She tried to keep note of that material, but couldn't memorize anything.

"The pub!" Navi cheered. The three of them approached the step, and Link opened the door plainly, finally stopping his informative speech about the several kind of foods that existed. She looked at the name: 'Priceless Pub.'

She entered, and stools stretched as far as the counter did, which was to the opposite wall. In the middle was a stage that looked like where a stand-up comedian would stand. Currently, it was empty. There was a rather large lady scrubbing cups, and she noticed as the three entered the vacant pub.

"Welcome to Priceless Pub. Please, take a seat," she ushered them over. The three slowly made their way over, and Grace observed the shelves that contained various bottles which she assumed was alcoholic beverages. She sat herself on her stool, worrying the old wood under it would break any second and she'd fall on her butt. After no one said anything, the lady behind the counter raised an eyebrow, and finally spoke. "What can I do for yous today?"

"Huh..." Link glanced his choices of refreshments on the shelf. "Um...I want Lon Lon Milk...and a Roasted Zora." Grace looked immediately shocked. _A Roasted Zora?!_ she thought. She wondered how anyone could stomach a species that has the ability to communicate and are friendly to mankind.

"What about you, fairy?"

"I'll just eat off of his plate," Navi laughed anxiously.

"Uh...Can I have Lon Lon Milk...and is there a menu?" she asked.

"No," the large lady said.

"Do you have rice?" Grace asked.

"Yeah."

"I want that," Grace nodded. She wasn't a big fan of rice-in fact, she thought it was disgusting-but she wanted to eat something; and something that didn't make her feel like a cannibal, either. As her father always said, beggars can't be choosers.

"Alright. 600 rupees is the price," the large lady said, in nearly a rude, demanding tone.

"Here," Link drew out twelve purple rupees.

She counted every single one to make sure she wasn't tricked, and shoved them all into a large rupee bag. She nodded. "Alright, wait here. Your drinks and food will be right out."

When the large lady left to the back room, which Grace assumed was the kitchen, she immediately turned to Link. "A Roasted Zora?"

Link looked confused, like it was a common appetizer Hylians enjoyed. "Yeah?"

"Those are _living_ beings!" Grace said without thinking, and immediately covered her trail. "Aren't they?"

"Not really. They're pre-born Zoras that do not have the ability to grow up when they're born because their mothers' eggs deform them and die because they can't, anyways." Navi said.

"And besides, it's very common for them to die by birth; most eggs are bound to be unsuccessful at birth. Only certain eggs can live without dysfunction," Link said. Grace tried to comprehend this information, but her jaw dropped in disbelief and disgust. It was like eating a baby.

"Ugh, you're sick," Grace crossed her arms and looked away.

"Say as you please - they're delectable one way or the other," Link said.

"I have to agree with Link on this one. The Roasted Zoras are really good," Navi said. Grace said nothing. She was disappointed the Hero of Time and his companion ate exactly what they set out to protect. She refused to eat a Zora, and promised herself she wouldn't either. She half-considered being a vegetarian in this world.

Shortly after a wait to which Link and Navi discussed other foods, much to Grace's relief, the lady returned with two clear glasses of milk. She sat them on the counter, and left to the back room where steam vaporized. She felt nauseous just thinking about the procedure to cook a Zora. She picked up her milk, and took a few sips. She wasn't entirely thirsty after drinking river water, but a little nutrition wouldn't hurt anyone. The milk tasted unchurned and creamy, with a mixed taste between what she felt was bitter, yet sweet.

"What kind of foods do they serve where you're from?" Link slurped his milk. The way Link drank disgusted her. She was used to it, however. Boys were boys, which meant they were typically sloppy, in her opinion.

"Huh...In my providence we ate things such as pizza, chicken, potatoes, vegetable soup...I don't know. Lots," she shrugged. She really had no idea how many foods were invented worldwide. Every country had it's own recipes, and America's foods ranged with a wide variety.

"Which one is your favorite?" he continued.

"Probably fettuccini alfredo...also I like adding certain seasonings," she said.

"You should make us some!" Navi said in awe.

"Depends on if the ingredients are available here; but I will if I find any," Grace smiled. She figured the equivalent to a chicken was a cucco. If they weren't the same, surely they tasted the same. She also knew how to cook other foods, like meat loaf, corn bread, homemade gravy, and spicy soups. She liked to cook. "What about the Kokiri? Whaddya guys eat?"

"We were strictly vegetarians. We actually have gardens that we take care of. My garden is named Buster," Link said.

"They have names?" Grace asked.

"No, that's just the nickname I gave mine," Link shook his head.

"I can't wait to go see the Kokiri. Maybe even Buster, too," Grace joked, licking her lips teasingly. Navi burst out laughing. Link frowned and looked away. She didn't think her joke was that funny, but even she smirked after saying that herself.

The door to the pub opened, and a couple of residents shuffled inside. They took there seats farthest away from the three, as though they expected the trio to bite. Grace sighed, hoping her food would finish quicker. Rice shouldn't take too long, she thought.

While waiting, Grace started tapping her foot impatiently on the ground, her hunger starting to consume her entirely. She wished that lady would hurry up. When the conversation grew stale, she found herself getting lost in thought. She hadn't even considered the negative possibilities of her being away from home had she was so focused on Evan. _Where are mom and dad? Are they worried about me? What if they think I am dead?...And Reagan, too. She is my best friend. What will she think?_

She closed her eyes, and started feeling the pressure set in. She wasn't even supposed to belong here with Link and Navi. She didn't want to slow them down. She was glad they were busy counting their rupees so that they wouldn't recognize her inner-frustration.

"Here you are, young lady, fresh-grained rice," the large lady approached, sitting a bowl the size of Grace's head in front of her. She noticed the steam rising up from the rice, and usually would have waited for it to cool down, but she started eating it out of the bowl like a starving dog. She hated normal rice, but the feeling of hunger slowly dying off had never felt so incredible to her.

The large lady didn't seem to think anything of Grace's eating habit. Perhaps in this world they had no spoons, forks, chopsticks, etcetera. She put a plate of an aqua blue head in front of Link, and it looked like it was covered in a spice Grace thought smelled like paprika. She looked at it in disgust. "Here you go. Enjoy your meals," the large lady said, going to the next set of customers.

Grace found that only minutes after she was given her meal, she could already see the grains at the bottom of the bowl she had to start picking out. On the bright side, her hunger waned significantly.

"We're now down to 2195 rupees," Link said, ripping the scale forehead of the Zora open. She wished she hadn't seem him do that. She wondered if Zora tasted like fish. She didn't want to find out. She pretended to look at the many liquors on the shelf in front of her.

The large lady, after writing down the orders of the other few customers, glanced over and noticed Grace was staring at it. "Would you like a glass? I would recommend a Hylian Twister. It's the most popular."

She wondered if it was legal for the children to consume alcohol. Surely they had some sort of limitation. She was taken aback, and slightly offended by that offer. "That's alright. I like the milk."

The large lady just shrugged, wiping a glass cup with an old rag, and entered what Grace assumed was the kitchen. She wondered if the large lady ran the establishment by herself.

"I can't wait to see what you'll get, Grace," Navi said whole-heartedly.

"Yeah. What do you fight best with?" Link asked.

"Uh...well..." Grace nudged her fingers together with uncertainty. She decided she should be honest. Lying wasn't going to get her far; and plus it would shatter whatever trust she had created. "I...er...don't."

"What? You looked like some sort of mercenary, to be honest," Navi said.

Link shook his head. She felt a guilty pit form in her stomach. She wasn't offended, but felt useless. She knew she has to prove her worth-if she had any- before they decided to take matters into their own hands. She already knew she could be easily replaceable; and even without her powers to sense sages, she knew Link could find them himself.

"I'm sorry. Just...please give me a chance to prove myself. I promise I won't let you down," Grace said. She even spoke to Link like he was the leader of the team, even though he kind of was. She even found herself pleading to stay, even though she wanted to be nothing apart of the game.

"I don't know," Link said. Grace turned to Navi with a concerned look growing on her face. Navi said nothing this time. She felt like that was Navi's way of saying _I think it's best that you don't come._ After a moments silence, she got up in her bench, and sighed. She felt like giving up.

She didn't want to give up, though. She was already on Team Link, and already wanted to decide her own potential herself. Within seconds, she quickly said something before they fabricated more negative opinions. "You can teach me, Link."

"Grace, how come you didn't tell us you had no fighting experience?" Navi asked.

Grace just shook her head. She didn't really know why she hadn't. It was probably because she didn't have all the answers herself. "I should have, and I am sorry. I just got caught up in everything else. But I do think I can learn. Will you teach me, Link?"

"Of course. I am probably the best warrior Hyrule has to offer," Link said, immediately in his self-absorbed tone. Grace let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, please," Navi retorted jokingly.

Grace just smiled. She felt like she talked her way out of that one. She thought she was cheating them. _Who_ _am I kidding? The only person I am cheating is myself._

"Shut up," Link said proudly. He got up out of his stool, and ushered them over. "Come, minions, I will take you to the blacksmith." She could hear the eagerness in his voice. Even though he already owned the Master Sword, she thought he was excited to search the other variety of weapons.

Grace and Navi followed him out of the dark pub and back outside where it was sunset. She had an uneasy feeling that they'd be very soon be visiting Dampé's grave in the eerie shadows. She shuddered at the thought.

On the other end of the village, passed the windmill, there was a staircase leading downwards to a metal door, rooted off from another building that she thought was the potion shop. It was like a staircase leading into another shop in the w same building within the basement. She could hear the cloud clangs from outside. She figured the blacksmith was working on something.

"Oh, boy!" Link said, knocking loudly to grasp the blacksmith's attention.

They heard footsteps behind the door nearing them. An eye gap in the door slid open, and she seen a pair of green eyes that observed the three. "What? Can't you hear that I am busy?"

"We came by to check out your inventory," Navi said.

"Wait a second...Link?" the blacksmith opened the door, sweat dripping down his face. The stench he released made Grace silently gag.

"How are you, Martinez," Link took off his hat and pleasantly bowed. Grace rolled her eyes. Link was proper to others, but not to his allies. Her parents usually were much more cheerful in front of others, too.

"I told you to call me Martin. And geez! You've grown quite a bit! Come in, come in," Martin ushered them inside. Link and Navi fitted through the thin doorway, and Grace followed behind.

Hanging along the basement roof were tons of lanterns all brightened up. There were wooden shelves that had what looked like hundreds of weapons. She stared in awe as she entered. He even had his artillery categorized by swords, long-distance, and shields. In the far corner of the big room was the crafter, where he was currently in the process of making what looked like a half-made sword.

"This is...unreal," Grace's jaw dropped with surprise.

"I know! It's so cool!" Link smirked. She approached Link who was standing beside Martin. "Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is Grace, she is new to the team. She is in need of a weapon."

"Such attire. She must not be from around here - and I am Martin," he held out his sweaty palm. The last thing she wanted was to touch his hand. Out of kindness, she reluctantly shook it.

"Thanks," she smiled. She was somewhat shy around new people. She drew her hand back, and wiped her sweaty hand on the seams of her skinny jeans.

"Don't be shy. Take a look around! It might take you a while, any who," Martin said.

She figured Martin and Link needed time to catch up. Martin immediately started admiring the new sheath on Link, which eventually led to a boring conversation on the sword's craftsmanship. She paced around the several wooden tables, and picked up various swords. She tested one out, swung it, and ended up throwing it against a glass pot and shattering it. She knew using a sword would be hopeless.

She spent hours of fiddling, Link and Martin still going on about the Master Sword in the meantime, and found Navi joining her. Navi was just as bored, and offered her criticism to the weapons she thought would be useless. She wanted a flame-sword, which was just an ordinary sword that had several flame-shaped curves, but after much sampling, she knew she was not going to be an excellent sword fighter; her archery aim was hideous; and daggers, even though they were useful, she needed a long-ranged weapon, and not short-ranged.

"This is confusing. There are too many weapons here that deciding is impossible," Grace blew a strand of her hair out of her face.

"What about the the shelf that had randomly placed weaponry?" Navi fluttered.

"Looking there would be pointless. Ugh. Maybe I will get a sword or something," she sighed. She wanted something she could actually wield. She didn't mean that because she couldn't fight well with it she didn't want the sword, it meant she was not _able _to fight with it.

"Come on, Grace," Navi latched onto her hair, and flew that direction, making her gasp in pain.

"Hey, quit!"

"No, come and look," Navi pulled harder. Grace shooed her out of her own hair, and headed to the variety table instead.

She started browsing. Some weapons she had no idea how to even wield. She worried that she would choose something out of their means. She was getting quickly frustrated. She hated the environment down in the blacksmith's shop. She found herself sweating and craving fresh air.

At the far end of the table, poking out between two large bombchus, was a rather large metal stick. It looked like a staff to her. She decided to skim at it. After all, she was becoming rather bored with weapon-shopping. She figured Link had originally wanted to browse, but he found himself talking about weapons with Martin.

She approached the bar slowly, sliding it out from in between the bombchus. Navi fluttered. "What is that?"

"I think it's a staff," she started tugging at it. She pulled a little harder, struggling to lift it. "But oh boy it's so heavy."

Navi sweatdropped. She started to laugh playfully. She knew it probably wasn't the staff that was heavy, it was her lack of muscle. Finally, she tugged it one last time, and she screamed as she fell over on her back, the entire bar sliding out after her.

"Grace!" Navi gasped.

The other two turned two turned their attention to the crashing sound. Grace got up and rubbed the back of her head. She felt like there was a lump on her head. "I'm alright, guys!"

"You got to be smarter than the objects," Link said.

"Oh, like I didn't know that!" Grace snapped, holding up the weapon she drew. "Huh?!"

The bar she drew was not that of a staff, it was a large, blue hammer. The hammer part was bigger than a Goron's head. The part Grace thought was the staff was actually a long handle.

"You have quite an eye, young lady. That there is an Ōtsuchi Hammer," Martin crossed his arms.

Grace said nothing, but held it, and observed it. It wasn't too heavy for her to hold, but she wondered if she had the capability to wield it. Grace wondered..."Do you have something I can smash?"

"Yes, actually. There is a bench that I need to scrap for wood. You can break it apart if you want," Martin said, pointing to the item he indicated. She said nothing, but slowly approached it. She felt the surface of the bench, and sighed.

"She won't be able to damage that," Link shrugged.

She ignored Link, drew the hammer back, and slammed down on the seat as hard as she could. The wood cracked the first time, but didn't break.

"Told ya," Link said.

_This time pretend it's Link's face_, she drew it back again. She shot Link a glare, who returned a discouraging look. She returned her focus to the blue, turquoise hammer. With one frustrated, swift slam, she smashed the bench to pieces. The bang the impact made was rather loud. She rested the hammer against the wall closest, and smiled. "I think this is _exactly_ what I need."

"Wow! Such destruction! With that hammer, you will surely be forte!" Martin gasped.

"How much is it?" Navi asked.

The price was what she dread. She crossed her fingers, hoping that it wouldn't be out of their expense. She found the one fighting utensil that she could brandish. Martin observed the hammer, which Grace assumed he was deciding a last minute price based on it's material. "That Ōtsuchi hammer is one-of-a-kind. I am willing to bargain, however. The ideal price is 2,300."

"We don't have that much," Navi deadpanned.

Grace had no idea how to bargain. She had been to pawn shops before, but was terrible in the art of persuasion. Link, on the other hand, took over the conversation. "No discounts? Come on, we actually need this in order to save Hyrule."

"Still out saving people, huh?" Martin asked. He smirked, and nodded. "Okay, 2000, and that's because you're a long-time friend of mine."

"We will be broke if we buy that, then," Navi said.

"At least it's within our budget," Link sighed. He looked Martin in the eye, more seriously. "Please. We really need this. Can we go any lower?"

Martin crossed his arms, and furrowed his brow uncertainly. Grace knew he didn't want to just lose profits, but at the same time, he wanted to help. "I'll tell you what: I'll _give_ her the hammer. But she has to prove to me how much she needs it."

"Fair enough," Link smiled happily. She knew she had to prove herself, or else the bargain will have been for nothing. She was about to get a hammer _free _of charge.

Grace approached Martin, and said very bluntly, "I really want this. No - I need this. I won't be able to fight without it. And I need it to find someone important to me." As she mentioned earlier, she was awful in the art of persuasion.

"Psh. Anyone would want a weapon to fight with. I am still not convinced you need it," Martin laughed half-heartedly.

Grace started to get frustrated. She bit her lip, and held in her patience. She fell to her knees, bowed, and screamed, "Please, Martin! I am not just saying this! What will you do when the world destorys itself? I must help the Hero of Time, your last hope, to save Hyrule. Does that mean _anything_ to you?!"

Martin was silent, and somewhat taken aback. He considered what she said, and looked to Link in awe. "The Hero of Time...? Of the legends? You...you finally came. I would be _honored_ to give your friend the hammer - in fact, take whatever you need."

"Yeah..." Link scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Thank you so much, Martin!" Grace got back up, and claimed her hammer. While Link and he discussed how Link became the Hero, she took a pliable ribbon and used that to secure the hammer to her back. She claimed her weapon.

She was shocked she actually got it free. She didn't expect she would be that fortunate. She went to the long-distance weapon table, and took a belt full of ninja stars. She knew her aim had sucked, but she still decided to take them for safety measures. As for a shield, she decided she didn't have enough room to bring one along.

She regrouped with the three, and hope filled Martin's eyes. He smiled at Link. "You three stick together, and you will achieve great things. Also, if you run into Ganondorf, please give him what he deserves!"

"Yeah, we should probably get going. We have already lost a day's time," Navi sweatdropped. Martin nodded.

The three left back to the outside, and Grace couldn't believe how well the feeling of fresh air pushing against her face felt. It seemed that it was still sunset, closer to darkness.

"Goodbye!" Link waved behind him as they walked.

"Thank you for everything," Grace called cheerfully.

"We'll visit you soon!" Navi laughed.

"Be safe!" Martin saluted playfully.

And so the three took off through the town of Kakariko, and started to the graveyard, which Grace felt uncertain and fearful about.

* * *

AN: I am proud of myself. I got 17 pages out there. So, what do you think of Grace's new weapon? Was it a good choice or a bad choice? I went as far as researched it, too...Anyway, I plan to update very soon. I am expanding the Ocarina of Time story so that it won't be finished too quickly. RxR.

I sense fight scenes approaching soon, now. Stay tuned!

_-Dreaming_


	6. Chapter 5: Fear

AN: Chapter five is now open, ladies and gents! And as my story progresses, I plan on finding an experienced beta for my story, so that is for those who may be interested. I will alert you if and when that position has been filled. So far I have had no reviews, so I can't recognize any individuals to edit. If you do wish to be my beta reader, message me; otherwise, I will plan on finding one. Right now I want to give my audience the benefit firsthand. Please let me know if you are interested and I will consider your beta profile.

Oh well. Enough of the chattering. Let's continue, shall we?

Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda, just my OCs. All Zelda rights reserved by Nintendo.

* * *

Chapter 5: Fear

"How do you even know that the Graveyard is where we're supposed to be?" Navi asked.

"I overheard these twins talking about some treasure in the graveyard. Maybe that's where the item is hidden?" Link shrugged.

"I guess..." Navi sighed.

Grace knew Link was correct, and so were the twins, and tried finding any way to stall. In the meantime, they passed through the fields. In the game, you entered a small path, and it automatically took you to the graveyard. In reality, the trail leading to the graveyard was manifested with trees, trimmed free of all leaves. The look was rustic and shady, and the moon above lighted the trail.

"This is kinda scary. Can't we come back tomorrow?" Navi finally spoke.

"No. We have already wasted enough time. We can rest later. We need to get that thing Sheik was telling us about," Link said.

Grace knew that they would. The darkness and luminous sky reminded her of a Headless Horseman kind of scene. She had read a few graphic, dark novels. Especially Dracula. In the beginning, the main character traveled a dark path through past a village to get to the Count's castle. She had a feeling this was no different, despite the fact they were headed to a graveyard. She feared, like in Dracula, werewolves would appear. And this, being Zelda, she knew they existed; and even maimed bones toppled around.

"I must agree with Navi. Why should we travel to a graveyard at night?" Grace hugged herself while walking, observing the outline of the trees as though something would pop out.

Link stopped in his tracks, smirked, and laughed darkly. "There is nothing to fear. The best you may encounter are ghosts, zombies, or even bats."

"...I'm going," Grace turned around and started walking.

"Me too," Navi said, flying quickly after her.

"Suit yourself. I hope you know how to fight, ladies," Link took off his hat, and continued.

Grace's eyes shrunk. She was not even experienced in the slightest with fighting. If she encountered an enemy, she knew that she would surely not survive. She had not even started her training. If an opponent got the better of her, it's safe to say it's her loss.

She and Navi exchanged looks. Grace couldn't comprehend Navi's expression, but figured it was most likely of fear, too. She gulped. "S-shush! I was joking. I am coming!"

"Uh huh. You two are scared!" Link laughed.

"Shut up!" Navi steamed.

"I am not scared!" she continued to hug herself, unaware of her own self-gestures. Link shook his head with amusement, and they proceeded.

In the distance was a bright clearing, astray from the forestry path. She was relieved to see it, she had even found herself walking a bit faster in anticipation. Link proceeded normally, and boredly.

"Up ahead...That's the graveyard," Navi indicated.

"Ugh. Why is it so secluded from the village?" Grace whined. She figured they had no other burial grounds. But the reason was unclear to her.

"Maybe it's to keep the ghosts at bay?" Link suggested in his joking manner.

"That's not funny!" Grace deadpanned.

Link snorted. There was a brief silence after the three left through the clearing. She sweatdropped. The graveyard was gloomy and she felt herself choking from lack of breath. Compared to the graveyard, the ominous path seemed appealing.

"Here we are...so...where should we start?" Link said.

"Had it even occurred to you that the twins were just being practical?" Navi steamed.

"Uh...oh yeah! Haha! But what if they weren't? It's got to be here somewhere!" Link said.

Grace wanted to leave as soon as possible. She knew exactly where it was located, and furrowed her brow. She decided she would lead them on hints, at least. Staying here was her last priority. "Isn't there a gravekeeper here? Maybe he or she would know."

"Dampé!" Link snapped. He smiled cheerfully, and looked towards his cabin. There was a candlelight in the only open glass window. "I haven't seen him in a while! Yeah! Let's ask!"

She felt her stomach churn. She knew Dampé was dead. She felt somewhat guilty. She wondered how Link would handle the news? She glanced around her eerie surroundings, than proceeded to the cabin behind Link. Navi was no longer floating. She figured Navi was hiding in Link's hat.

"Link," Grace stopped him.

He turned around. It was now just the two of them, the moonlight reflecting off half of their faces, returning the other half to pitch blackness. Link sighed, as though annoyed. "Yeah?"

"...I just wanted to remind you...it's been seven years. You never know what could have changed since then."

"That's why we should ask Dampé! Now, come on!" Link scurried inside the cabin, leaving Grace outside the night by herself.

"Link..." she whispered. She wanted to tell him - to spare him of his emotions. She knew what it was like to lose people. It made her feel like she was attending Evan's funeral all over again, his body not in the casket. Just pictures.

She glanced around. She had a feeling like she was being watched. _It's JUST these dismal surroundings, Grace..._ she assured herself, hurrying into the candle lit cabin quickly. She wondered how the candle was lit. It couldn't have lit itself, could it have? Maybe the laws of physics didn't apply in Hyrule.

"He's not here," Link rummaged through his stuff. She didn't know if inviting themselves into other people's houses was a common tradition, much less snooping. "Ah! Got it. A diary!"

"Link-" Grace said, and then stopped herself. She decided that he would find out sooner or later, than stopped herself.

"Shush," Link waved. He flipped through the various pages, going to the last entry. Link started to read it out loud.

_"Whoever reads this, please enter my grave. I will let you have my stretching, shrinking keepsake. I'm waiting for you._  
_-Dampé "_

"That must be where it's at," Grace started.

"He hid it in his grave! Brilliant! I'll tell him we saw his journal entry later! Come on!" Link smiled. She frowned. She knew why Link thought he was alive - he had wrote in his diary entry. She figured Link wouldn't be too sad to see his ghost, probably. Chances were, he wrote this when he was dying.

Link left the cabin, and Grace followed him. It started getting a little breezy out, and dead leaves blew past her. She shuddered.

"Okay, let's split up. Since there are a lot of graves around here, and we work separately, I am certain we will find it," Link said.

" 'Split up' ?! No, no, no, no, no! Absolutely not!" Grace declared.

"Relax. I'll be close by," Link ran off before she could retaliate.

"But-" she held out her arm fearfully. She shivered as Link faded as a dark dot in the distance. She took a deep breath, her heartbeat increasing, hugged herself, and slowly walked to the headstones closest to her.

She past up the many grave's of the deceased. She wondered if this was the only graveyard Hyrule hosted. She figured it wasn't. Biting her lip, she found herself skimming the writing, only quotes and sayings embroided within, peaking behind her every few seconds after hearing a bird's chirping. She couldn't exactly remember where Dampé's grave was in the game. She knew there was a cave hidden underneath a headstone. She hated how the Hylians didn't write the names on the gravestones. It was annoying.

"I think I push them...but...ugh," she sighed. She felt awful about violating the graves. She knew that the relatives of the dead would be infuriated to see her and Link violate their families tombstones. If anyone had done that to her family's grave, she would be furious. "I'm sorry." She nudged one of the graves, its shallow dirt below it, and no gaping holes appeared. She pushed it back to its original position out of guilt. In the game it felt so easy, bit in reality it felt so wrong.

Several tombstones later, she heard Link calling in the distance. She leaped as she saw his shadowy figure waving. Her heart raced a little, then returned to normal. She rushed over to Link, and he started. "There is this hole. I think it might lead us to the chamber where he stowed away his weapon."

"Y-ya think?" she looked around. "Well, let's not dawdle!"

"Ladies first," Link laughed.

"What?! What if I break my neck?!" She was stunned by such a rude offer.

"The magic will prevent that from happening," Link said.

"How do you know? Is every hole in Hyrule full of magic?!" she snapped. In the game, they were. But this was reality. What if there wasn't magic? It seemed too convenient in any case.

"No, no, no. Farore, the goddess who made Hyrule, made the earth below the terrain break the rules of gravity," Link said.

She had never herself heard of such a legend. It seemed too farfetched, but it also seemed realistic. She hadn't lived the life of any ordinary Zelda character, so she didn't know very much about the Universe and its legends. It explained why every hole Link fell down didn't kill him. Still, she wasn't too keen on going first into the grave.

"Yeah...that's some sort of legend, I assume?" Grace asked.

"It's no legend. It's the truth," Link smiled. She hadn't heard Navi's nagging, so she assumed that Navi was sleeping cozily.

After some thinking, something from the past struck her. She always wondered what a certain legend had meant. "What other legends do you have?"

"What do you mean?" Link raised an eyebrow uncertainly.

She smiled, her blue eyes shining bright in the night. She decided that was a story she would share later. She just had always wondered if everything was connected through this legend. "Nevermind. I am just stalling," she lied.

"Then after you," Link ushered her to the hole.

Grace reluctantly stepped at the edge of it, and her eyes immediately shot open. Terror filled her. She had no idea how far that hole was. If it wasn't on a grave, she'd spit in the hole to test its height. She thought that was another form of disrespect too.

"Go on. You'll float," Link continued. That also reminded her of Stephen King's IT...'Everybody floats!' She knew it was not at all similar, but she was still scared. She was even frightened of clowns after watching that movie.

"Um...I don't know..." she sweatdropped. Link approached her quickly, before she had time to react. She was taken aback. It was as if Link was about to attack her. He pushed her, and she slipped down into the dark hole, screaming.

Link leaped in right after her. She was much farther down than he was. The hole came to an abrupt stop after several seconds. She floated down, and surfaced on the rainbow colored tiles. Link was just above her. She scooted away so that he wouldn't crush her. He landed, and smiled half-heartedly.

"That wasn't funny," Grace stomped on his foot.

"Yee-oww!" Link leaped around.

She was somewhat frustrated with Link. In her experience of falling, she thought she was going to fall to her doom. She was surprised the hole was as big as it was. She glanced at Link, satisfied as he hurtled around to shake off the pain. She did think floating was unlike anything she had done before.

"You're such a-"

"Don't you say it," her eyes widened. She knew what he was going to call her. She _hated_ that profane word.

"A huge-"

"Don't you dare!" she clenched her fist.

"B-" Link started, just as Grace's fist made its way to Link's face. They both stopped, and turned around. They heard a maniacal laughter.

She felt like the cave hidden underneath Dampé's grave was much more colorful and welcoming than the graveyard was. She forgot to account for the dead-person's-grave part. Of course it would be haunted. She had never believed in ghosts until she entered the Zelda Universe. She thought that was Dampé laughing.

"Show yourself," Link drew his sword, and looked around. Grace looked confused. She knew the ghost was harmless.

Out of thin air in front of them appeared an old fellow dressed in brown robes, holding a lantern, and a gold halo above his head. That was, of course, Dampé, the gravekeeper. She found herself falling to the floor in surprise, and shrieking her lungs out. She had never screamed so loud in her life. Link had to actually cover his ears. The alarming sound woke Navi up, and she peaked out of Link's hat, and saw Dampé. Navi immediately resurfaced to Link's hat.

"Wow! What a scare! Wait until you see me turn my head completely around!" Dampé laughed whole-heartedly

"What?! No, no! That's-that's quite alright!" Grace waved nervously, as she stopped screaming. She remembered that he was actually a good ghost. But, granted, that was her first encounter with a paranormal being.

"Are you sure?" Link laughed. Grace nudged him with her shoulder in annoyance.

"Link! Such a long time it has been," Dampé smiled.

"Wait...are you...no...it couldn't be..." Link opened his eyes in disbelief. Despite his jerkiness, she felt bad for him.

"It's me, Dampé! No need to mourn me, though! I am having the time of my afterlife down here!" he floated.

Worst. Pun. Ever. She had always imagined ghosts to be hostile, but Dampé was kind. He had a grotesque sense of humor, one she disliked, but he meant well in the long run.

"How did you die?" Link asked in disbelief.

"Oh, what a story. Once upon a time a young boy casted a spell on me that slowly, yet surely sucked the life out of me," Dampé said.

She felt awful for the ghost. She couldn't believe anyone had the nerve to kill such an innocent man - and for what motive? Maybe the world wasn't as bad as she thought. Maybe all worlds were.

"I bet he was one of Ganondorf's lackies. Don't worry, we'll snuff them all out," Link huffed.

"No...He was traveling with a group of narcissists. They actually were here to torture and claim Kakariko, but failed because Ganondorf took rule back. They weren't fighting to take back what was originally ours in any case," he shook his head.

"So basically they're dictators?" Grace asked.

"Yes. Just like Ganondorf. They cursed me because I wouldn't give them one of my possessions," Dampé said.

Whoever they were, they wanted the hookshot. Most likely to infiltrate the Forest Temple. She was glad that he stood his ground and didn't submit to them, but saddened by what it had costed him.

"The possession...That's the item we came here for, actually. We need it to get somewhere," Link inquired.

"I may not look like it, but I'm confident in my speed! Let's have a race! Follow me if you dare!" Dampé floated quickly to the back passageways.

"What?!" Link asked, completely unprepared.

"Come on, slow pokes!" Dampé called.

Grace and Link both knew if they got lost, they would be trapped in a grave, desperately looking for an exit. She didn't want to find herself in that position. She felt as though she was going to wet her pants out of fear.

Dampé was much faster than in game. Even Grace had trouble keeping a reasonable pace aligned with his. He had the advantage of floating and drifting quickly. Link managed to keep up, but only just. He threw fireballs at the floor for some shocking reason.

"What gives?!" Link dodged them.

"What's the fun in a race without obstacles?" he laughed darkly. Grace swallowed fearfully. She now didn't know if she would define him as a good ghost. As a matter of fact, the cave under his grave was like a labyrinth. She couldn't believe his grave was this huge. Where his physical body was buried, on the other hand, was unknown.

He turned partly translucent. Grace sighed, dodging another fire. She would have imagined herself running from the ghost than after it. Link and she raced up a ramp, and Dampé was gone. The backroom was dark and pitch-black.

"Did you lose him?" Link panted.

"No. He went in there," she wiped her forehead. On the bright side, she figured that the feeling that she was being watched or followed disappeared. She was half-relieved to have participated in the race.

Link and Grace entered the dark room. After a short walk, they appeared on the other end of the corridor. Floating above a treasure chest was the ghost, who smirked with satisfaction. She figured torturing visitors was what he did for entertainment.

"Hehehe, young man...You were very quick to be able to keep up with me! Hehehe! As a reward, I'm going to give you my treasure. It's called the Hookshot! Its spring-loaded chain will pull you to any spot where its hook sticks. Doesn't that sound cool? I'm sure it will help you!" Dampé indicated the chest underneath him.

Grace was happy to have been right. She was more relieved to have found it than to have earned it. She wanted to go; the fact that they were in the grave of the old gravekeeper made her uneasy. She figured it wasn't as bad as encountering a Redead.

Link approached the chest, opened it, and dug inside. The chest in real life was much more crafted than in the game. It looked like it was made out of some oak wood material. As Link retrieved the Hookshot, he held it up in both hands where the screen would usually say 'Congratulations! You just got the Hookshot!' His gestures were spot on, too. That's what struck her odd. Did he do that every time he got a new item? He sloppily tossed it into his rucksack, and Grace shot him a chilling glare.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Nothing," she rolled her eyes. She thought that was so rude to take a dead persons belongings and not treat them with care. All belongings should be valued, even if it is as disgusting or worthless as a used tissue.

"I live here now, so come back again sometime. I'll give you something cool!" Dampé smirked. He floated towards Grace, and her hairs started going adrift. She had no idea what to say. "One more thing! Be careful on your way back! Heheheh..."

"Okay, thank you, Dampé," Link smiled.

"Y-y-yeah. Thanks," she trembled. It was hard for her to be nice and scared at the same time. The ghost laughed and started fading. She was debating on whether or not she would ever return. She would rather deal with a hoard of cuccos.

As the figure disappeared finally, Link looked at the next room ahead. He glanced back to the entrance from which they came. "I guess the exit is up ahead."

Grace and Link walked up a staircase and a huge, blue block stood in front of them. She rolled her eyes. She didn't remember this part of the videogame. "Great. An enchanted block," she said sarcastically. She saw no point in having one in a grave, especially as an exit. Perhaps it was some cruel joke that he crafted, aware it would be another obstacle.

"Um..." Link scratched his head, "maybe we could back track?"

"We'd get lost and we wouldn't even remember how to get here again," Grace sighed. She strained her memory from Ocarina of Time...Ocarina of Time! That's right. The Song of Time should move it out of the way. She decided she'd make up a decent, yet plausible excuse to get him to play it. She was good at lying. "I think you should call Dampé. Spirits react to sound, right? Play that song you did in the Temple. He surely will come back."

"That's a dumb idea," Link sighed. She squinted with annoyance. The one think she hated more than losing her temper was being tired. It was roughly three or four in the morning, she was assuming.

"Do you got a better idea in mind?!" she snapped.

"It's not going to work," he shuffled through his rucksack. He seemed a bit weary as well, but not as much. She hoped that staying up this late wouldn't become tradition. Link grasped a blue ocarina in his hands. It was entirely beautiful. It had an aqua tint to it, and several holes where sound escaped. In glimmered just like her blue eyes did at night.

Link pressed the fairy ocarina against his lips, and played steadily, to an inspiring rhythm. She hadn't known that Link was as experienced in flute playing in reality than in the game. It made her shocked, but also made her want to fall asleep. He finished up what she thought was the Song of Time, and the block eroded in a blue light.

"What?!" Link almost dropped the ocarina. It was a good thing he didn't. She knew that they would be in a major setback without it.

"Looks like something happened...maybe these mystical blocks respond to a tune," she said playfully. She started becoming professional in playing stupid. Link didn't seem to question her, which she was glad about.

The two of them jogged the flight of stairs, the stairway becoming much thinner as they ascended. It got to the point where only one person could get through at a time. 'WHERE does this lead?' she completely forgot that, too. Well, probably not. Perhaps it was because she was exhausted.

Through the walls, Grace had heard more music playing. It sounded steady and slow-paced. The light up ahead would soon reveal to where the noise came from. Link emerged, and gasped. "WAH!"

Grace was suddenly alarmed, and caught off guard. Her eyes shot open, and shock replaced tired. "Link!"

"I'm alright. I just...er...almost fell off of a wooden plank," Link said, ushering her to join him.

She emerged behind him, and she recognized the environment as the Windmill. The turrets spun slowly, much to her relief. And on the other end was...a piece of heart?

"A heart!" Link smiled. He turned to Grace happily. "How many heart containers do you have?"

"Er..." she sweatdropped. She poked her fingers together awkwardly. She knew what they were, but had no idea how to use them in reality.

"Don't tell me you don't have any? I have three," Link laughed.

"Unlike you, I don't go through dangers to get awarded those," she retaliated.

"All they do is decrease your vulnerability, making you able to deal with more damage and pain," Link said. "In Hyrule, if you collect a heart, it goes into your soul and aids you."

She didn't know that the procedure was as complex as that. She always just ran into hearts. That couldn't be there food source, but she assumed it was there way of healing themselves only.

"So...I just...grab it?" she raised an eyebrow.

"More or less. Just don't slip," Link said.

"Like I didn't know that!" she snapped. Half of her wanted to react to his sarcasm, but the other half was cranky for her lack of sleep. She stopped caring about her hygiene ages ago.

She backed up, and waited for the turrets to spin past her a few times. After comprehending their timing, she braced herself, and leaped onto the slow-moving turret. It started spinning, and she looked down below her. The guy playing music didn't seem to notice; she figured the music was too loud for him to realize. She braced herself again, and leaped onto the platform with the piece of heart.

She picked it up. The red-amber shine made her eyes widen with surprise. She held it in her hands, and it started turning gold. It turned into stars then dissipated, and she felt something pinch her insides for a second; and at that very moment, she felt a bit more capable of dealing with hurting. The feeling, after the pinching feeling, felt somewhere between mystical and soothing.

"Good job. Now, let's get down!" Link said. He leaped off and down below onto the spinning wheel of the windmill floor. Navi was a bit annoyed by not having been prepared.

Grace peaked back into the stairway from which they emerged, and thought for a second she saw a pair of red eyes pierce her. She rubbed her own eyes, and looked again. She yawned and thought nothing of it. "I must be really tired..." she leaped down and left. She decided she would wait outside the windmill and wait for Link there. He laughed and started assuring the windmill guy that they meant no harm. They eventually started into a deep conversation that she thought was boring.

When she went outside, she looked around. The village was silent and she figured everyone was asleep. She sighed and leaned her head against the wall, sleeping on the grass, not even slightly concerned about mosquitos, if Hyrule was fortunate enough not to have them, that is.

And she drifted off.

She couldn't be any more happier she was away from the graveyard, and back in the village. Navi even left the conversation Link had to join her.

* * *

"How do you know she is the one we need?"

Grace was floating. Was she dreaming? The person speaking was Sheik. Grace stood next to him, with uncertainty. On the other end was Ganondorf. He sat on his throne, a bored expression on his face.

Neither of them had noticed her presence. Was this real? She figured it couldn't be. She had been trapped in Zelda too long. She decided she'd watch her dream play out. She leaned against a wall, and looked at Ganondorf's ruthless features.

"I don't...but she was indeed there seven years ago. If that lady-"

"Grace," Sheik filled him in.

"Yes, yes-Grace. If she has it, then we need to part her with the Hero of Time immediately. That boy you said she whines about...He predicted we would use her, and hid her behind the Door of Time seven years ago, out of our reach," Ganondorf sighed.

Did he mean Evan? Was this meant to happen? She shook her head, and figured she was trying to draw up a plausible timeline in her dreams, even though everything felt unusually real: the castle, the velvet-red carpet, the piano...She didn't remember the throne. Perhaps it was there for sitting when he got bored. Even in her dreams, she felt scared of him.

"I think it would be best if we let her stick around a little longer," Sheik said.

"I think we shouldn't. If she finds out her purpose, then my plans would have been for nothing. Understand?" Ganon asked.

"No. Let her find out herself. Once she knows, she won't want to be helping the Hero out anymore," Sheik said. "It's best to let it all play out accordingly, sir."

Her heart skipped a beat. Was she being used? Was being in Hyrule safe? She wondered if this was a dream, or a premonition-a warning. Sheik and Ganondorf remained silent for a while. She kept assuring herself this was some folly dream.

"Very well. Make sure our vessel stays within reach," Ganondorf stared down coldly.

"Whatever you say," Sheik waved him off, walking toward the exit.

Ganondorf had the bored expression remain on his face. He pressed his fist against his cheek, his red eyes looking at Sheik as he made his way to the exit.

"Don't forget," Ganondorf started, and Sheik glanced over his shoulder, coming to an abrupt stop, "where your loyalty lies."

"I'm offended you would even question it, sir," Sheik laughed, and exited the castle.

Grace, still in awe, watched as Ganondorf stared at the stone door Sheik had just left. She saw a smirk grow on his face. "Perfect. Now everything is going according to plan," Ganon said.

Grace felt the floor beneath her shatter like broken glass, and she screamed as she fell into a dark abyss. When she looked back up, nothing was there. The castle had just disappeared.

* * *

It was afternoon. She awoke to the shining of the afternoon sun across her face. She figured she was out a good twelve hours. Link looked comfortable. He had his hands tucked behind his back, and snored comfortably on the ground. Grace's back ached from pain of not sleeping on a bed.

Navi was still asleep. She sighed, and thought about her dream. It was hard for her to register any thoughts, as the rowdy village-people made thinking impossible. She came to the conclusion she was becoming insane from being here.

She never knew how much she missed her nagging parents, her untidy-over-heated room, her friends who copied her answers at school and even her drama she had to sometimes deal with. All of that sounded golden to her compared to a trivial journey of wit, dangers, zombies, and ghosts.

She buried her face in her knees, her back leaning up against the wall. She wanted to go home and forget this entire mess.

"Can I even handle this?" She asked herself aloud. She knew the others were asleep. She wanted to believe she could. She wanted to believe she could help Link fight Ganondorf. But she knew she wasn't capable. She did not possess the courage or strength to fight him.

All she thought she needed was to survive. No, that's not it, she thought. She glanced at the blue sky, reflecting off of her equally blue eyes. _Confidence. All I need is confidence._

But she wondered how far confidence would really take her.

* * *

AN: YAYY. Chapter 5 is finally complete. Sorry for the wait. It was hard to type between the the allotted time of school and homework. As I mentioned in my profile, I take Dual-Credit English Courses...College research papers are no fun. If you miss any form of punctuation, my professor scrapes me of a one-letter grade! And what's worse is we had to write it within a four day period. Crazy, right?

Who thinks Grace is interesting? I am curious as far as my story goes. Has my writing gone stale? Should I delete this and make a rewrite, or just surrender? If you have stuck with me thus far, I would like to ask you to send me a review. If you don't want to, that's fine as well. Feedback just helps me with demographic purposes.

NEXT TIME, the gang finds themselves finally leaving the village and heading toward the Kokiri, but not everything is as it seems. Stay tuned!

-_Dreaming_


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